


When the Chat comes Courtin'

by LadyKae



Series: Rainy Days [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Is a Little Shit, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Needs a Hug, Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Courtship, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gift Giving, Good Parent Sabine Cheng, Identity Reveal, Kissing in the Rain, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Massive amounts of Gabriel Salt, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square Reversal, Plagg is a Little Shit (Miraculous Ladybug), Reverse Crush (Miraculous Ladybug), Romance, Sabine Cheng Knows, sometimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:07:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 29,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24369358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKae/pseuds/LadyKae
Summary: Now that Adrien has realized his feelings for Marinette, how is he going to go about telling her? How will the knight in shining leather go about wooing his Purrincess?**COMPLETE**
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Rainy Days [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757320
Comments: 237
Kudos: 500





	1. Monday

**Author's Note:**

> Soooooo, yeah. I gave into the temptation to continue XD I hope you guys enjoy this one!

Adrien was all smiles as he walked into school and he rushed for the locker room. Three weeks had passed since that day in the rain, and he spent the time wisely planning his approach. He knew what he wanted to do and how he wanted to break it to Marinette. It was a gamble, but she’d always appreciated his straightforward approach during their hangouts while he was Chat Noir. If only he could be there to see her reaction to what he had planned for today; that would be great, but it wasn’t meant to be. Alas, he needed to cement an alibi for himself.

Once he was sure he was alone, he patted Plagg to rouse the kwami from his hiding spot. “Unlock her locker for me really quick and I’ll give you a wheel as soon as we get home,” he bribed his little friend, his green eyes alight with excitement.

Plagg gave him a mischievous smirk. “That’s a little generous for such a small favor. What’s this about?”

“I’ll tell you later. I need to put something in her locker before anyone else comes in. Please Plagg?”

“Fine. You’d better fill me in later. You barely said anything to me last night after we got home and then you were busy talking with your old man most of the morning before we left. You didn’t even wake me up before going into the viper’s pit,” replied the kwami before he phased through the lock.

Plagg didn’t like being left out of conversations whenever Gabriel was involved, as he preferred to be there to offer silent support for his charge whenever Adrien was summoned. Today, though, Adrien had purposefully approached his father with the intent of laying down the rules of how things were going to be after he graduated from lycee. He was enrolling in an astrophysics program with the intent of getting his doctorate and a teaching course to get his masters in that as well. He’d continue to model for Gabriel, but only until he graduated from both his masters courses. By then, he’d be close to aging out anyways and it would give him time to focus on the final leg of his academics. Surprisingly, Gabriel accepted this without too much fuss, which told Adrien his father had his eye on someone talented to head the brand after Gabriel finally retired. Either that, or his father was impressed on how well thought out everything was and that he offered a compromise for both of them to get what they wanted.

Personally, Adrien was positive it was the former. His father hadn’t shown any pride in him in years, save for gushing about his ‘perfect looks’. His accomplishments never mattered, only the superficial image he had to put forward.

Marinette’s locker door opened up and Adrien hurriedly pulled a wrapped parcel from his messenger bag. Placing it so that it would be seen the minute she opened the door, Adrien closed the locker and rushed to his own to get his things. He wanted to be sure he wasn’t in here when Marinette came in. He knew he’d give himself away in an instant.

“So what was that you put in Pigtails locker anyways?”

“You’ll see later. If I know her as well as I do, she’ll open it in here before going to class,” Adrien replied with a wink. Once he had everything he needed for his first few classes, he left the locker room to head to the library. It was just in time too, as he saw Marinette and Alya walk through the school entrance as he reached the top of the stairs. They spotted him and waved, and Adrien gave them a small wave in return. He’d see them in class soon anyways.

When Adrien arrived at class, Marinette and Alya were whispering excitedly at their normal desk. Nino was in his normal spot as well, turned towards the girls with a small smile on his face. Adrien slid his bag from his shoulder and he grinned at the sight of a coffee and a croissant waiting for him. He hadn’t seen them when he walked in with his attention otherwise occupied. “Thanks Mari,” he said as he plucked up the coffee. He definitely needed it after finalizing his game plan, not going to bed until almost two in the morning.

The effort he’d put into that particular gift in question was worth it though. His hand had a small cramp from how much writing he’d done in the last few days, but he wasn’t going to complain if she loved it.

“You’re welcome, Adrien,” she replied. “I don’t know who put it there, Al, and I’m nervous to open it. Do you think they left a card inside?”

Adrien couldn’t deny he was curious. He was sure Marinette would have opened the gift the minute she saw it. Maybe someone distracted her? “Who put what where?” he asked, leaning over to catch a glimpse. The box was sitting on the bench between them, carefully and partially hidden underneath her sweater.

“Someone got into my locker somehow or another, and they left this for me to find. I’m scared and excited all at once, Adrien. I mean, I know of one sure fire way to get into a locker without knowing a combination, but that’s neither here nor there.” Marinette muttered the last bit, not meeting anyone’s gaze.

The corner of Adrien’s mouth twitched. He was sure she was referring to the way kwamis can phase through physical objects. She’d worked with Mullo once before after all.

Maybe he could talk to his partner about letting him borrow the mouse miraculous for a night? If only so that he could have just one night of galavanting over the Parisian rooftops with her? He could set up a romantic little picnic and make that the moment when he—

“I think I’ll open it at lunch when it’s just the four of us, this way I don’t have the entire class wanting to know what’s going on,” Marinette added with a small smile.

“You could just open it now, you know,” offered Alya with a knowing smile. “The rest of the class isn’t here yet and we can keep it down.”

Adrien resisted the urge to rub the back of his neck. It was one of his nervous habits and the three of them knew it. He knew he’d put Alya on the hunt if he said anything to the contrary as well, as his behavior would be suddenly suspect.

“You sure?” Marinette asked. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth, and Adrien mimicked the action without meaning to. He felt the urge to reach across the table and run his thumb along it to gently coax it free.

Nino and Alya both nodded in assent and Marinette turned to Adrien next. He gave her a quick nod as well, though internally he was screaming. He was nervous as hell at being present, despite his earlier wishes that he could see her reaction. Marinette placed the box before her on the table and the delicate shredding of paper soon commenced. His nerves were quelled when he saw her eyes light up in recognition of what was there before her and she gave a small disbelieving laugh. Adrien knew there was only one person that knew she’d been wanting this particular set; though she lamented the cost of it in the same breath, and it was him.

Well, Chat Noir, but still him nonetheless.

“How did he—” Her voice trailed as she looked over the boxed spools of high end ribbon, a wide smile on her face. Her fingers trailed over the delicate fabric, a glossy look in her eyes as she mentally planned out projects for the shiny strips.

“Who?” Alya whispered excitedly. She shook Marinette’s shoulders in an effort to snap her out of her daze.

“Wait! There’s a letter too!” Marinette squealed.

Adrien’s nerves returned with a vengeance as Marinette plucked the envelope from the bottom of the box and she pulled the contents free. Her eyes scanned the top of it before she began reading it aloud in a whisper.

 _Mon Dieu_ , it was all or nothing now! He felt frozen in place, unable to excuse himself to watch from afar.

“ _My dear, sweet princess,_

_I_ _know this is unexpected, but I want to make my intentions known. For years we’ve lamented love, found respite in each other’s company. You know I’ve long since moved on from Ladybug, and for the longest time I wasn’t looking to replace that love. It’s also when we’re not looking for it is when it finds us, which also brings us to the here and now of you reading this letter._

_I love you, Marinette. I believe I have for a long time, but I was too blinded by Ladybug to notice the treasure before me sooner. It’s probably the single greatest mistake I’ve made where you’re concerned because, if anything, Ladybug should aspire to be someone like you. You told me one of your friends once dubbed you the “Everyday Ladybug”, but that is an unfair comparison. Yes, she’s a wonderful hero, but you are just as courageous, brilliant, witty, and kind, and you don’t have to have super powers to be that way. You inspire people to be better than they once were, or to reach farther than they thought they could. While I know you are so far out of my league, I’m reaching out now in the hope that I’m not too late. You fill a void I never realized was there until we had our first fight. It was you, not Ladybug, that helped me to grow into the man I am today on both sides of the mask. When I think of the future, I see you there with me every step of the way. I see us both successful in our chosen fields, surrounded by love and a family, and a hamster called Nightmare. I see a home filled with laughter, light, and warmth. I want to make those errant daydreams a reality._

_At the risk of sounding old fashioned, I would like to court you Marinette. I know that would be impossible to do as Chat Noir, hence why I’ll be doing everything as my civilian self. Yes, I know the risk I’m taking, and I’ll tell you the conclusion I’ve come to in a little bit. I’ve already thought it over long and hard. I will not lie to someone I love, Marinette, and if you were to accept me, I would not hide who I am from you. When it comes to you, fuck the secret identity, fuck the akumas, and most of all, FUCK HAWKMOTH! (I can already hear you chiding me about my language, by the way. I have a feeling I’m getting an ear flick or three for dropping the f-bomb)_ ”

Marinette and Alya both giggled as she read it and Adrien took the moment to study Marinette’s facial reactions. There were tears in her eyes, and a small smile on her face while a charming blush warmed her cheeks. His breath hitched in his throat as his heart pounded in excitement. He might stand a chance.

_"I know you would keep my secret and I would endeavor to keep you safe. The rewards far outweigh the risks in my opinion, because the vision I see of the future is the opposite of the reality I live right now. I’m tired of living life, going through the motions in a cold, emotionless, and fractured family. You know a little of the trials and tribulations I’ve faced with my father and I’m ready to break myself out of that cage. You and your parents have shown me what I want and need for my future._

_However, I find myself in the unenviable position of having fallen for someone who's in love with someone else…AGAIN! I guess that’s the black cat’s curse on me, as I can’t get that lucky when it comes to love. You never told me his name, despite my offer to be your wingman. You seem resigned to defeat when it comes to him, but he’s a damn fool if he does not see the gem you are. Either that, or he’s gayer than a Pride Parade equipped with Audrey Bourgeois “Style Queen Akuma” levels of glitter._ ”

All four of them laughed at that, though Adrien didn’t remember a lot of that particular akuma. He was one of her first victims after all.

“ _I see you for the wonderful woman you are, Marinette. If you’re open to me courting you, knowing in the end that it will lead to your learning my identity, leave a single, lit candle on your balcony. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for a week, along with some distance to allow you to really think it through. If I don’t see anything by next Monday, I’ll have my answer. I know this isn’t an easy decision to come to, to let go of a love you’ve held onto fiercely for so long. But what you need to consider is if it really makes you happy._

_If you’re feeling adventurous, I’d like the chance to make you happy, Marinette._

_With all my heart, which you hold,_

_Your Knight_ ”

“Oh my god. Girl!” hissed Alya with an excited whisper. Her hazel eyes were wide with the smell of a scoop that had been under her nose for years. “Your knight?! When were you going to tell me about this!”

Marinette sighed as she cast Alya a small glare. “Are you telling me you wouldn’t have hounded me for clues to his identity? I wasn’t going to do that to him,” she replied. The unspoken statement of “— _and have it get back to Lila_ ,” hung in the air between Marinette and Adrien. 

Alya had the grace to look sheepish at hearing that. Marinette was right that Alya would have dogged her to the ends of the Earth for any hint at who Chat might be behind the mask. “What are you going to do?” she asked.

“I’m going to take a few days to think it over for starters,” said Marinette as her eyes looked over the letter one more time. 

Adrien silently applauded that decision, but he still had the grace to hide how put out he was at that answer. He was brash and impetuous, he knew this. He had to be patient with Marinette while she gathered her thoughts. Adrien wanted her to be sure about this. Their teacher entered the room, bringing order to the chaos and he turned in his seat.

The wait would be worth it no matter what.

* * *

The day dragged on for Adrien, and he found it difficult to focus during his fencing lessons, and subsequently his Chinese ones as well. When he was finally able to, Adrien crashed face first into his mattress with a small groan. Hopefully, Plagg had heard Marinette’s reading of the letter he left for her, so there shouldn’t be much to explain to the kwami.

The teasing that was coming though? There was no escaping that.

“You sure you’re not up for a run?” Plagg asked in a singsong voice near his ear. 

Adrien cast the cheese eating gremlin a small glare. “What are you planning?” he dead panned. 

“I know you said you’d give your girlfriend space, but that doesn’t mean you have to neglect patrol either, you know. Besides, there’s always a chance Pigtails put Alya off the scent on purpose,” purred the black cat temptingly. 

Adrien’s brow furrowed as he propped himself on his elbows. “Plagg? What are you up to?”

The kwami waved him off, which made the grin on his face all the more suspicious. “I’m not up to anything. I just have a general feeling you need to head out is all,” he said with a shrug.

Adrien released a sigh through his nose, and he rolled off his bed. “Fine, you win. We’re going out,” he said with a small huff. He smirked to himself as he waited for Plagg to float near the mini fridge where his stash was.

“Great! I’ll just grab a wheel and—”

There it was. “Plagg! Claws out!” The kwami cast Adrien a betrayed scowl as he was pulled into the ring and Adrien chuckled to himself once more as the suit appeared, rippling and tensing in displeasure. “C’mon Plagg, I had to mess with you a little bit. You can have two wheels when we get back, on top of the other one I owe you for opening Marinette’s locker earlier, okay?”

The suit pulsed twice before taking on a comforting warmth. Plagg agreed and all was forgiven. Chat Noir jumped out the window, doing a quick run through the arrondissement just to make sure everything was fine and dandy. He found himself on his favorite rooftop again, and he took a seat on the railing facing her window. 

His smile was fond as he watched her at work at the mannequin again, this time comparing swatches of the ribbon he’d gifted her against the fabric of her current project. He cast a quick glance up to the roof, and he shrugged a bit at the absence of a lit candle.

Eh, one could hope for the best, right? At least there was still the rest of the week for her to come to her decision.

Now that Chat thought on it, that worked out in his favor. He had to tell Ladybug his decision as well, and that he wasn’t hedging no matter what. She may be the guardian, but he had limits on who he’d lie to. He wasn’t going to chance Marinette breaking up with him because he ran off during akuma attacks. Admittedly, telling Marinette his identity first didn’t sit well with him, as he promised Ladybug she’d be the first to learn his identity. The problem was that they were no closer to defeating Hawk Moth now than they were four years ago. Each lead had fallen through, and the akumas were only growing deadlier. Maybe it was time for them to forgo the theatrics of waiting for victory and reveal themselves to better support one another on both sides of the mask? Part of him wanted to keep his promise after all, but he wasn’t going to lie to Marinette and wait either.

One of his ears flicked as he heard the telltale sound of her skylight creaking open, and Chat focused on his raven haired friend as she stretched in the early evening air. He was tempted to join her, but he’d promised her space to let her come to her decision. That, and he didn’t want to be behind the mask around her. He wanted to hold her, to feel the warm silkiness of her skin under his palms, not his gloves. To feel her do the same.

“Chat!” Marinette’s voice drew him from his thoughts as she waved, signaling him over.

His ears fell flat against his head for a moment as he weighed his options. She was the one calling him to join her, not him asking to. Maybe she had something to say to him? Taking in a deep breath, he resolved to just stay perched on the railing, if only to keep himself from getting comfortable. It would give him an excuse to leave before too long after all. He jumped up before vaulting over an alley to the next roof, and then again until he landed gracefully.

Chat bowed his head forward with one clawed hand splayed over his heart. “Good evening, _ma princesse_ ,” he whispered before raising his eyes to meet hers.

Marinette gave him a fond smile as he adjusted himself to sit down. “Good evening, Tom Cat. You’ve got some explaining to do,” she giggled.

His signature smirk came into play as his tail lashed playfully. “Explain what? I’m pretty certain my letter said everything,” he rebutted with a laugh of his own. His face grew bashful and he rubbed at the side of his neck. “I meant what I said, by the way. I fully intend to give you space over the next week to let you come to your decision. I know it’s not an easy one, as I’ve always been careful about sharing anything about my alter-ego.”

The skin of her palm was soft and smooth against his cheek as she cupped it before drawing him in close. Her lips pressed against his cheek next, and Chat veritably melted against the railing right then. “And I appreciate it. I’m quite flattered. What I want to know is how you knew the locker was mine,” she whispered.

Chat side-eyed her with a mischievous grin. “All will be clear in time, Princess. If you accept my advances that is,” he replied. He got to his feet though he stayed in a crouch, knowing he was playing with the fires of temptation the longer he stayed in her presence. He took in the vision she made, framed against the fairy lights that lit up the space. He’d never seen a more beautiful sight than she. “I should be going,” he whispered, his voice raw with emotion.

Marinette must have seen the adoring look on his face, if the resounding blush on her cheeks was anything to go by. “So soon?”

Chat nodded as he swallowed, his hands clenching and unclenching with the desire to pull her in close and—

Her eyes shone like stars as she locked gazes with him. “May this princess bestow a favor on her knight before he takes his leave?”

Chat swallowed hard in nervousness and anticipation. “Depends on the kind of favor,” he whispered. He could think of a few different types of favors he’d love to receive from her.

Marinette smiled as she stepped in closer, her hands clasped daintily behind her back. “A kiss?”

His mind was screaming at him to take her up on the offer. “Why a kiss?”

Marinette’s fingers gently flicked at his bell. “To show my appreciation for starters? That and it might help me with my decision?”

Again he swallowed against the lump in his throat, and Chat couldn’t keep himself from darting between her lips and eyes. “Not while I’m behind the mask, Marinette. I don’t want to lose any sensation of that moment with the suit on,” he admitted.

“Even if I close my eyes?”

Chat smirked as he stepped down onto the balcony and into her space. Marinette didn’t do anything in half measures. Sure, she’d keep her eyes closed for a moment, but that would only last until the kiss broke. As much as he wanted to experience that, Chat knew he needed to be the responsible one. 

She never specified what kind of kiss after all. Marinette might pout and call him a tease when they saw each other next, but it would be worth it in the end. 

Her sweet scent wafted up into his nose, making his pupils dilate as the endorphins kicked in. The smell of her had the same effect on him that catnip did. “Close your eyes, princess, and trust me,” he whispered. He rested one hand on her shoulder before covering her eyes with the other.

Better safe than sorry after all.

“Claws in,” he whispered. His hand moved up from her shoulder, smoothing along the column of her neck as she leaned in closer. His thumb trailed along her jawline as the tips of his fingers lingered against the fettered strands of hair at the base of her neck. Her lips pursed, ready and waiting. Adrien savored the moment, the knowledge she wanted him to kiss her heady and thrilling. 

Marinette’s hands rested against his pectorals, memorizing the feel of his shirt and making his breath hitch as they traveled down to his abdomen. Adrien found himself suppressing a needy moan as they disappeared under his blazer, her fingers splaying against the musculature before fisting the material when her softness conformed against his lean, unyielding frame.

His nose rubbed against hers, their breaths wafting and mingling between them. Hers was so soft, so sweet he could almost taste the strawberry macarons that she must have sampled earlier. His heart thundered as he leaned down, pressing his lips to the corner of her mouth for a long moment. He felt her stiffen at the contact before voicing her displeasure with a disgruntled groan. She tried to turn her head enough to experience the full thing, but the placement of his hands gently kept her still. Her groan morphed into a needy whine as he pulled away, never once uncovering her eyes. “Good night, _ma princesse_. Claws out.”

No sooner had the magic covered him top to bottom once more, Chat Noir took off into the night. He knew if he saw her reaction, he wouldn’t leave.


	2. Tuesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien surprises Marinette with a morning offering after learning he kept her up most of the night. Later that evening, Marinette has a gift for Chat, one he's eager to put to use.

It was too early in the morning to be dealing with so many message alerts, mused Adrien as he glared at his rapidly vibrating phone. One half was message alerts and reminders from Nathalie about his schedule for the day. She’d been amending it all morning since his father’s ever changing whims had him out the door before dawn to get him into hair and make-up. 

The other half, as he was just now learning, was the group chat specifically for Alya, Nino, Marinette, and himself.

**LadyBlogger: OMG! Someone get over to the boulangerie and help me haul this chick out of bed! According to Sabine, she was up pacing all night!**

**DJAuxsome: OMW. I’ve got waking Nette down to a science.**

Adrien smiled fondly at that thought, though he had the grace to feel a little guilty at reading that, knowing it was his fault that she’d been up. Did she start catastrophizing about the way he kissed her? Maybe an explanation was in order, if only to settle her nerves. Thanks to an early morning photoshoot that his father wanted to do at sunrise, he and his bodyguard were stopping for coffee on the way to school. He’d make it there pretty early at this rate. 

Maybe he could sneak her favorite coffee and a small note to her normal desk before anyone could see him?

Stopping at their favorite cafe, Adrien grinned as he placed his order. While he preferred his black with two sugars, Marinette had a sweet tooth from hell. He wanted to get her something that would perk her up, but not give it away that it was Adrien buying her coffee. After all, he was already thinking of how to word the note to his Princess. He thanked the barista once he was handed his drinks, and Adrien whistled a chipper little tune to himself. 

If he wanted this to go off without a hitch, he needed to finish his coffee before they reached the school.

It was quiet and a little bit dreary when he arrived at the lycee. Not many students were milling about the courtyard, it was still early after all, but Adrien’s brow furrowed as he looked up towards their homeroom. There might be students in the classroom already. How would he go about getting them out if that was the case?

Luck was uncharacteristically on his side when he opened the door. Nathanael’s things were at his desk, but he was probably in the art room working on something for his comic. With the rare moment of privacy, Adrien hurriedly penned his note.

_Princess,_

_A little bird told me you were up late last night, and I managed to get this in here without being caught. I’m really, really sorry if it was because of me!_

_Please believe me when I say that I didn’t want to hold myself back last night. If I kissed you the way both of us wanted, I wouldn’t have left. So please, don’t fret any further, and I hope you have a wonderful day. Please take care of yourself. If I were able, I’d love to take a chat nap with you :3c_

_I love you._

Satisfied with how it read, Adrien folded it in half and wrote “For my Purrincess’ eyes only” on it. This time, Marinette would keep it to herself for certain. He looked around before exiting the room, pulling out his phone as he walked back down the steps. 

**Model Citizen: Do you guys still need help waking Mari? I just got to the school and can be there in a min or two.**

**DJ Auxsome: Nah bro, like I said. Down to a science! She’s up and Al’s trying to get some deets out of her in regards to yesterday’s surprise.**

**Model Citizen: If you’re sure, bro! I’ll be in the library if you need me for anything! I’m doing college application prep while studying for the BAC.**

**Ladyblogger: Good luck with that, Sunshine. We’ll see you soon.**

Adrien grinned as he circled the courtyard once before heading to the library and Plagg popped his head out once he was sure they were alone. 

“Think you might have gotten Pigtails a bit flustered last night?” he asked with a cheesy grin.

Adrien laughed to himself. “Maybe just a little. I hope the note I left her explains everything well enough,” he whispered. His face fell a little as he opened his course book. “Do you think I’m going about this the right way? No cheese metaphors or comments please. Honest feedback this time.”

Plagg sighed as he sat in the middle of the page to look Adrien in the eye. “Kid, do you feel like you’re making a mistake?” inquired the kwami. There was a seriousness to his voice that Adrien appreciated. It told him that Plagg was going to actually counsel him instead of tease. 

Adrien’s brow furrowed as he thought it over, reflecting on the separate emotions attached to this endeavor. “No. I have to be sure that she’s amenable to such a thing, and there’s still the matter of how we’re going to hide it from Nino and Alya seeing as how they know the contents of the letter.” A small, cat-like grin plastered itself on his face as he gave Plagg a fond scratch under his chin, prompting a purr of contentment from the kwami. “If I happen to be spoiling the ever loving hell out of my princess along the way? Eh, _c’est la vie_ ,” he finished with a shrug. 

“I think this would have been easier for you to do as Adrien, but this way allows you to see if she’ll accept you for all of who you are. I mean, she had a raging crush on model you for quite some time,” Plagg murmured, waving his paws in an up and down motion to gesture to how he looked right now. 

Adrien scowled at those words, but didn’t refute them this time. Almost five years of friendship showed him that yes, Marinette had been awkward because of how she used to have feelings for him. Feelings he didn’t realize he returned until it was too late. He only prayed there was still a chance to bring her heart back around. His scowl softened to a look of apprehension. “Do you think she’s romantically interested in Chat Noir again?”

Plagg’s paw tapped his chin thrice in a thoughtful manner, and Adrien pulled a wedge of camembert out for him to munch on while ruminating. It was a tell of Plagg’s that he’d learned over the years. One tap meant he was screwing around, two meant that he was being blah about the situation, but offered genuine insight as well. Three taps meant that Plagg was really thinking it over and would try his best to give Adrien an answer without giving him all the answers. 

In the meantime, he’d actually work on what he said he was here to do.

“I think—” Plagg’s voice pulled him back from the brink of zoning out. “—that both of you have been dancing around one another for a very, very long time.” Having said that, he finished his cheese and zipped back into his hiding place.

When Adrien arrived at class, he could hear Alya low key grilling Marinette about the note left under the coffee. A small smile crossed his face, one he covered up with a small wave of his hand as he joined Nino at their desk. “What’s going on?”

“Marinette’s being tight lipped about the note left for her by her admirer,” Alya grumbled. 

“It said it was for my eyes only, Alya. Besides, all it was was a self care reminder,” Marinette said, the look in her eyes soft and fond as she traced her finger around the rim of the lid. “I’d never thought I’d be in this sort of position to be honest. I mean, I’m just Marinette.”

Aha, here it comes. The crippling self-doubt that always seemed to consume her at the worst times. Did she feel she wasn’t good enough for him? If anything, it was Adrien that wasn’t good enough for her! She was incredible!

Adrien gave her a tender smile as he leaned forward, covering her free hand with his right. Her fingers twitched at the chill his ring imparted before it warmed against her. “You’re not just Marinette to him,” he offered. “Quite frankly, you’re amazing. How many people in this room can tout that they have Jagged Stone on speed dial? That they’ve designed for countless celebrities and have gotten the collaboration stamp of approval from both Gabriel Agreste and Audrey Bourgeois? Or won as many fashion competitions as you have before even stepping foot into ESMOD?” His fingers curled around her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze that he hoped conveyed his sincerity. "While some people can boast til the cows come home that they have connections and accolades, you've got the talent and the history to back it up."

There. Hopefully that little reminder would put her fears to rest. When all was said and done, Marinette was already on the fast track to notoriety thanks to her hard work and dedication to her craft. If he was lucky, Adrien would be there to support her all the way as time went on. 

Marinette gave him a soft smile as she returned the squeeze on his fingers. “Thank you,” she replied, her voice barely a whisper. It looked like she had more to say, but she didn’t want to say it in present company. “Is it wrong that I hope he comes by later tonight?”

Adrien chuckled. “I thought he was giving you space?”

Marinette shrugged as she looked away, a small blush on her cheeks. “I don’t want him to, and I want to tell him that. I mean, I can’t exactly make an informed decision without making sure I can handle being around him more than a few minutes,” she said with a giggle.

He had to resist the urge to snort in his mirth at that. Marinette handled being around Chat for hours on end, not a few mere minutes. Adrien patted her hand twice before turning around to face the board, as their teacher was calling the class to order in the advent of the final bell. 

Maybe Chat would make another appearance tonight…

* * *

The fairy lights were on as he jumped between the rooftops, and Marinette was in her lounger with her sketch pad in her lap. With a small smile, Chat Noir jumped to the roof, stealthy as can be, and he kept his eyes trained on her with a grin. He couldn’t help the wiggle that he did as he drew closer, his tail lashing side to side as he readied himself to—

“Pounce on me, and we’ll see if I give you scritches, Chat,” Marinette called out to him blandly. She hadn’t even looked up from the piece she was sketching!

His jaw dropped in shock and he sputtered wordlessly at the threat. No scritches?! Blasphemy!

Seriously though, how the hell did she do that every time?

It was like she and Ladybug were in cahoots or something! 

“Awww, but I like pouncing,” he pouted as he dropped to the hand rail. His lower lip was jutted out and Marinette gave him a small laugh as she closed her sketchbook.

“I think you’ll like what I have in mind more, Chat,” she replied with a grin. She plucked up a bag as she rose to her feet and she held it out to him. “I’ll stay up here. Head down to change into those.” Chat opened the black bag to peer inside. A pair of sweats, a black tank top, nondescript black sneakers, a pair of cat ears and a masque met his eyes. “In fact, you can take them home. They’ve been tailored to fit you after all. If you find yourself wanting to visit more during the week, just wear those and we can spend time together where you’re not in the official mask?” she offered shyly.

She was giving him a way to spend time with her as himself, even if he wasn’t ready to share his identity with her yet. 

“What did you have in mind for after?” he asked with a cheshire grin.

“I’m pretty sure you can come up with something. It’s not like we can do that much here on my balcony. Too cramped,” Marinette said with a shrug. 

Actually, he did have something he wanted to do with her, and she was right, there wasn’t enough room here.

“Got a bluetooth speaker?”

Marinette looked perplexed for a moment, but she nodded and Chat beamed at her. “Purrfect! Go grab it and do me a small favor?” Silence met him, but he could see the question in her eyes. “Change into something a little flowy with comfortable shoes? Once you’re done, I’ll get changed and we can head off. Don’t worry, I’ve got extra camembert for Plagg,” he added.

Marinette shook her head, muttering to herself about her finicky stray before she climbed down into her room. While he was waiting, Chat took a moment to look at the sweats in detail. 

She had designed them around his superhero persona. Most of the body of the garments was black, but there was piping at the seams and the other accents that were done in neon green. She even embroidered his paw prints into the pockets! He took out the shoes next, surprised to find that they were the size he needed. Looking at the treads, though, he couldn’t help but cry out with joyous disbelief at the detail she somehow added there.

Just like his boots, the treads had the same paw print design. Right down to the toe beans! How had she pulled that off?!

Marinette came back out onto the balcony and Chat barely glanced her way as he jumped into the room next, calling off his transformation and changing as fast as he could. He situated the masque in place, pocketing the ears to put on later. 

“Wow! Pigtails wasn’t kidding when she said it was tailored to you! Not too shabby there, kid,” Plagg praised as he flew around.

“Look at the treads on the sneakers!” Adrien whispered excitedly, holding up one foot for the kwami to inspect. “She even added my toe beans!”

Plagg shook his head, but Adrien could see the fond smile on his face. “I’ve said it before and I say it again,” he began. He pointed one paw above them. “That. Girl. Is. A. KEEPER! Now hurry up and transform back. I know you’re taking her somewhere.”

Adrien nodded, calling for his transformation again and he hurriedly bundled up his clothes and shoes back into the black bag and he tied it tight so nothing would be seen. Upon returning to the balcony, he stowed it under her lounger for now with the intention of grabbing it before he went home for the night. He finally turned to Marinette, who was leaning against the railing, and he was stunned speechless at the view she made against the sunset. 

“All that’s best of dark and bright,” he whispered to himself. 

Marinette must have heard him, because she turned to face him with a smile. “So what do you have planned, hero? Do you intend to whisk this princess away from her tower?”

Chat gave her a small smirk. “Got your cell phone?” She nodded. “Good. We’re gonna need it and the speaker here in a bit. May I?” He held his arms up as if to cradle her and Marinette nodded once again. He swept her into his arms, his tail coming around to anchor her to him. “Hold on tight. It’s gonna take us a few minutes to get there, but I know where I want to take you.”

Marinette nestled her head under his chin. “I trust you, Chat.”

With those words, Chat leapt high into the sky, pulling his baton from his back and extending it. Marinette’s excited laughter was infectious as they climbed higher into the sky and he chanced a small look at her before tipping forward in a free fall. Her grip around his neck tightened a little, but he could tell she was enjoying this. It took them ten minutes and another well timed vault, but they landed upon the top of the Arc de Triomphe and Chat set Marinette to her feet. He called off his transformation, adjusting the masque and donning the cat ears. He only needed to motion for the speaker and she handed it to him along with her phone. 

Night was falling fast and the Eiffel Tower was lighting up with the rest of the city. Up here, the lighting was low enough to be romantic and this time of night assured they were alone. It took him a few minutes to find a suitable song, but once he did, he turned back to Marinette, this time with a small bow and his hand outstretched.

“Might I have this dance, _ma princesse_? he whispered.

The opening measures of _T’es Belle_ filled the air and Marinette placed her hand in his as if hypnotized. “I don’t know how to dance,” she admitted.

“Close your eyes and just trust me, Marinette,” he whispered as he guided her other hand to rest against the top of his right arm. “Just keep your back straight and focus on the feeling of me moving, and the music. I promise you’ll be fine.” He felt her relax against him, and Adrien smiled as he settled his hand between her shoulder blades. He stepped forward with his left foot, and she gasped as she stepped back at the same time.

_T'es belle quand tu souris_

_T'es belle tout le temps_

_T'es belle même quand tu ris_

_Et qu'on voit tes dents._

_T'es belle quand tu rougis_

_T'es belle en toutes circonstances_

_T'es belle même quand tu fais une blague pourrie_

_En plein dans un silence._

After a few more confident paces and a turn, Marinette’s eyes opened to lock onto his. The smile on her face was blinding, and his heart melted all the more for it. He adjusted his grip on her hand, leading her into another turn before he took a few quick paces back. 

_T'es belle quand tu te trompes_

_T'es belle quand tu t'entêtes_

_T'es belle, je m'en rends compte,_

_Même quand t'as l'air bête._

_T'es belle quand tu t'énerves_

_T'es belle sans te mentir_

_T'es belle même si, quand tu t'énerves,_

_C'est pas le moment de te le dire._

“That’s where the song is wrong,” he whispered against her ear. “Now is absolutely the time to tell you how beautiful you are, Marinette.”

_Déjà du temps de mes amours vagues_

_J'étais sourd au fracas de leurs écumes_

_Et comme l'amour m'a toujours fait des blagues_

_J'dois être aveugle, je présume_

“I’ve been so blind to you for so long, _mon souris_ , and it’s something I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive myself for,” he admitted.

Marinette shook her head, leaning forward to place a kiss on his cheek. “I wouldn’t be here if you still were, Chat,” she replied. “You’re not the only one who was blinded by someone else, after all.” 

He guided her into another turn and then a spin, bringing her back to rest against his torso. His lips hovered just above the curve of her neck, his breath wafting against her skin.

How long had it been since he felt like this dancing with anyone?

Adrien spun Marinette out again, bringing her back to face him. He clutched her a little tighter than he had before his heart pounding as he studied her face. He didn't want this moment to end.

_T'es belle quand tu bois_

_T'es belle quand t'es bourrée_

_T'es belle quand tu marches pas droit_

_Et qu'tu sais plus parler._

Adrien couldn’t help the smirk that crossed his face at those lyrics. Save for the fact that neither of them had been drunk around each other, the rest was pretty much standard Marinette. She gave him an indignant huff before slapping his shoulder, and looking away with a pout.

“I thought you were trying to be romantic,” she grumped.

“If I can’t tease you while doing that, what’s the point?” he asked. 

_T'es belle quand tu dors_

_T'es belle quand tu ronfles_

_T'es belle, c'est ça qu'est fort,_

_Même quand tu m'gonfles._

_T'es belle mal réveillée_

_T'es belle et je te jure_

_Que t'es belle même quand t'as été coiffée_

_Par tes couvertures._

Marinette snorted a little at those lyrics, her gaze fixing back on Adrien. “Your bedhead must be legendary,” she quipped.

The laugh that bubbled forth rang through the night air and Adrien gave her a little twirl before pulling her flush against him. “Would you like to find out firsthand?” he purred flirtatiously. He was drunk on her proximity, high on the feeling of her body moving so in sync with his. Her curves molded perfectly against his lithe frame, and he bit back a small hiss nature took over. Their movements were fluid, natural as he guided her across the space. His eyes never once left hers, and he drank in the sight she made. A fetching rouge colored her cheeks, making her freckles stand out. He wanted to kiss each one. Her breathing was heavier, he could feel the rise and fall of her breasts against the planes of his chest. 

"Are you asking me to jump in bed with you?" she replied, her tone curious but sultry all at once.

Adrien swallowed hard against the knot that formed in his throat. "If I am?"

Marinette smirked, her eyes hooded as her leg hooked over his hip. Adrien dipped her, his palm running down the smooth skin of her calf. "I think you've got your work cut out for you," she purred.

_T'es belle quand tu m'reproches_

_De pas être honnête avec toi_

_Mais t'es belle même quand tu te trouves moche_

_Alors je le garde pour moi_

_Déjà du temps de mes amours vagues_

_J'étais sourd au fracas de leurs écumes_

_Et comme l'amour m'a toujours fait des blagues_

_J'dois être aveugle, je présume_

Adrien pulled her in tight against him as the song came to an end, zeroing out any space as he held her leg in place against his hip. He made a mental note for them to take more tango lessons together if they started dating, because damn he was affected by the way she moved with him. Her right arm was draped over his shoulders, her hand trying to find purchase against his shoulder blade. Her other hand was between them, splayed out over his heart. He wondered if she could feel how hard it was beating. The world faded around them, the only sounds he could hear were her heavy breathing and the blood rushing in his ears. Last night hadn't been right, but this moment? Right now?

Adrien needed to kiss her like he needed his next breath.

As if sensing his intentions, Marinette worried her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes darting between his eyes and his lips. Just like last night. There would be no teasing this time. Not when he had the means of disguising himself. No, this time, Adrien reached up, gently coaxing it free before he closed the space between them. Her arm tightened over his shoulders, her hand traveling up to cradle his cheek in her palm. Her lips parted and eyes closed in preparation of feeling his mouth against hers.

Without warning, the akuma alarm blared through the speaker, jolting both of them from their reverie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song here is **T'es Belle by Volo** , and I claim no ownership of the lyrics. I only used them for the purpose of fanfiction. All credit for this beautiful song goes to Volo. 
> 
> I suggest just googling for the lyrics and using the translate option to see the english version I based the prose around. Personally, I think it fits the kind of love that Adrien holds for Marinette perfectly.


	3. Wednesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom Dupain has a heart to heart with a disguised Adrien. The third gift is left for Marinette at the end of the school day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the poem "She Walks in Beauty" by Lord Byron. It has been borrowed for the purposes of the fiction.

Chat Noir was livid by the time he finally dropped back to Marinette’s balcony. 

Six hours!

That damn akuma had taken six hours to corral and defeat! That didn’t even include the fact that he had to sacrifice himself for Ladybug to get the item.

Thank goodness it was two in the morning. Marinette was probably—

“Chat?!” Marinette’s voice broke him out of his thoughts as he looked towards the skylight and he grunted in surprise as he was suddenly tackled to the floor. “You stupid cat!” she sobbed, her arms tight around his neck. She mumbled admonishments against his chest as Chat wrapped his arms tight around her. He nosed her hair a bit, breathing in her scent and memorizing it once again. “Do you know how hard it is to watch you do that?!”

He pressed his lips to the top of her head, knowing she was only scolding him out of worry. “I can imagine, Princess. But I have every faith in Ladybug that she’ll bring me back with the cure. Believe me, I know it sucks, but it’s a necessary evil. Rest assured that I’ll always come back to you, Marinette. In fact, I swear it,” he whispered. He tenderly petted her hair as she continued to sob, soothing her the only way he knew how. 

“Stay tonight,” she whimpered, her voice muffled as she smothered herself against his chest. “Please, Chat, stay. I—” She trembled against him, fighting off another wave of terrified tears. “It’s already so late.”

Chat groaned, wishing for all the world that he could comply with that. He cupped her cheek, bringing her eyes up to his as he gave her a sad smile. “I’m sorry, sweetness. I would love to stay the night, but this cat has a six am wake up call that I have to be present for,” he whispered. “I can stay a little longer, but I need to go soon. You need to sleep too.”

Marinette pouted, but she didn’t push the issue. God, did she not realize how precious she looked when she did that?! “Let Plagg out. I’ve got cheese for him on my desk. As far as I’m concerned, we can cuddle right here,” she grumbled as she looked away.

Chat laughed softly as he gathered her up against him. “Let’s at least get in the lounger then. Claws in,” he replied. He sighed in contentment as he eased back into the seat, settling Marinette comfortably against his lap. “There, much better.” His lips brushed her brow as they both nestled into the embrace, and Marinette hummed in response. 

She nuzzled his chin one more time before looking up at him through her lashes. There was an adorable little blush staining her cheeks the whole time. “So I’m not the only one pissed about the interruption earlier, right?” she mumbled.

A laugh bubbled forth before he could stop it and Adrien rested his brow to hers. “Believe me, you’re not. I think I was a tad more vicious than normal once I finally got to the fight,” he replied, scratching the back of his neck in his nervousness. “We’ll have another moment like that sooner or later, Princess. You’ll see.” Another sigh escaped him before he could hold it back and his fingers started combing through her hair on automatic. Her breathing was evening out against him, lulling him into a calm he’d never experienced after a battle before. 

Crap, he was gonna fall asleep if he didn’t leave now. “Mari,” he groaned, not wanting to leave her embrace. 

Without warning, a blanket settled over them and Adrien cracked an eye open, only to pale at the sight of Tom Dupain above them. 

“Get some sleep, son. What time do you need to go home?” he whispered.

“I need to be home before six. Are you sure, sir? I can put her to bed and leave,” Adrien replied.

Tom chuckled and he shook his head. “She’s not letting you go for anything, Chat. Just get some rest. I’ll have some coffee and fresh croissants ready for you when I wake you up. Just sleep, son. It’s alright,” said the giant of a man. He took the ears off the top of his head and Adrien sighed as a pillow was eased behind his head next. The cozy cuddles with Marinette were pulling him back into the embrace of sleep.

This time, he allowed himself to be taken whole.

* * *

The smell of coffee was the first thing that curled into his nose, rousing him gently from slumber with a small whine. 

“It’s five in the morning, son. Time to wake up if you want to eat and make it home,” chortled Tom as he set a plate and a cup down on the table nearby. “I already fed Plagg and we’ve been having a nice long talk about you while I’ve been preparing a special order.”

Adrien groaned in dismay. He could only imagine what kind of things were said in that conversation. He carefully eased Marinette into Tom’s waiting arms as he sat up, and he let out a long yawn as he stretched. He watched with bleary eyes as Tom eased Marinette down to her bed and he felt one side of his mouth quirk into a lopsided grin.

“Sabine’s downstairs at the moment, but I wanted to talk with you for a minute before you have to leave,” Tom said as he handed Adrien the coffee. “Marinette’s told us a little bit about your home life, son. Are you safe there?”

Adrien nodded before taking a sip. “It’s too protective in all honesty. It’s stifling. My father’s only had to back off recently because I turned eighteen some months ago,” he admitted. “It’s-it’s just really lonely at times, but I can sneak out as Chat Noir.”

Tom laid a massive hand on his shoulder and his green eyes were soft with paternal affection. “Chat, if you ever need somewhere to go to escape that, you’re welcome here. I mean, Sabine and I will likely figure out your identity when you and my daughter start dating. It’s not a question of if. Both of you are serious about each other. And yes, she told us about that. She asked us for our advice on the matter. It’s what I wanted to speak with you about so we don’t have another Papa Garou incident on our hands like last time.” The baker sighed as he looked down at the skylight, a tender smile on his face. “Marinette’s my pride and joy, Chat. She deserves to be happy and for a long time she hasn’t been. The letter you left in her locker changed something in her, something for the better. It’s giving her hope again. Where do you see yourself in a few years?”

Adrien’s brow furrowed as he contemplated his answer, biting into a croissant absently all the while. “Three years from now?” Tom nodded in response. “I’ll probably be working on two bachelor degrees and still working for the family business. I’ve already laid out my game plan with my father and told him I’m not going to continue with it while working on my doctorate. He only has me until I complete both my masters degrees. All the while, Marinette would be ruling the roost at ESMOD and I get to crow about how talented my girlfriend is. By then, I’d probably be looking at engagement rings too.” He took another swallow of his coffee to settle his nerves and he met Tom’s eyes. “I love your daughter with everything I have to give, Mr. Dupain. I wasn’t just plying her with sweet words in that letter. I really cannot imagine my future where she’s not in it. I know she’s going to reign supreme at the top of the fashion program at ESMOD and I know for a fact at least three major fashion houses want her to work for them.”

Tom chortled once more. “She’s already getting offer letters and you two haven’t even taken your baccalaureates yet.” He looked down at his watch and then to the skylight as Plagg floated up. “It’s about time for you to head off, son. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. I’m pretty sure we’ll be seeing you soon.”

Adrien rose to his feet, extending his hand towards Tom with a smile. “Thank you for trusting me, Mr. Dupain, and for breakfast as well. As always, your croissants are the best in the city,” he replied. He was caught off guard when Tom bypassed his hand, pulling the young man in for a hug.

“You’ve got a family here with us now, son. Don’t be a stranger and feel free to come by for dinner anytime, alright?” Adrien nodded against his chest as he soaked up the fatherly affection and he looked to Plagg after a second.

“You ready?” asked Adrien. He eyed the plate with the croissants again, contemplating if he should have another. With a small smirk, he stuffed one last pastry into his mouth as Plagg caterwauled in protest.

“Just hurry up. You know I don’t like doing this more than necessary,” Plagg sniffed, his tone light and teasing as he swiped his paw against his nose. 

With a murmur of the transformation phrase, Chat Noir gave Tom one last bow, plucking up the bag from where he stashed it under the lounger the night before. “Thank you again for your hospitality, Mr. Dupain. I hope your special order goes well today.” With that, he jumped to the next roof over, and started vaulting for home.

* * *

Adrien chuckled as he slipped into their last class of the day, his eyes glittering as he walked over to her normal desk. For as amazing as the day started out, Marinette’s luck hadn’t been the best. As the day progressed, she’d tripped no less than half a dozen times, had two doors opened in her face, and;while he couldn’t prove it, had Lila Rossi’s lunch dumped in her lap on purpose. It required her to rush home to change during the rest of their lunch break, and Adrien dashed off to take care of a few things himself. 

He looked around the room, making sure it stayed empty as he opened his bag, pulling out a boxed rose and an envelope. Hopefully this would bring a smile to her face to counterbalance everything else that happened today.

Adrien took his seat as fast as he could, knowing the bell would be ringing soon and he wanted to make it look like he was engrossed in his studies. This way if anyone tried to ask him about the presents, he could say he was distracted and didn’t notice.

When students started filing in, his pencil was moving at rapid speed down the page and his expression was one that screamed “Do not Interrupt”. He could hear the murmurs about the objects at Marinette’s normal seat, and he bit back a grin. He was waiting for her reaction most of all.

Marinette and Alya entered the room side by side and the two young women froze in the doorway as the room focused on them, going silent all at once. 

“I don’t know what happened, but I didn’t do it!” Marinette squeaked as she blasted past Adrien. She gasped in delight, drawing his attention to turn around. “How?! I can’t believe him sometimes,” she laughed as she picked up the box with the rose. It was yellow to red, tied with a pink ribbon.

“Was that sitting there when I got here? Man, if I’d noticed, I would’ve texted Alya to rush you to class!” Adrien teased with a grin. He played off his brow rising in surprise and curiosity as he tapped the box. “This, this is something special, Marinette. It’s a forever rose. I’ve never seen a yellow to red one before.”

Marinette had a sweet rouge on her cheeks as she took her seat and she pulled up the envelope. “I wonder what he has to say this time?” she murmured.

" _Ma Princesse,_

_I know you haven’t been having the greatest of days today, but I hope this little gift brings a smile to your face. I love to see you smile and it kills me that you haven’t had much to be happy about with as rotten as the day has been. Just remember this:_

_I love you, even if you are as clumsy as a newborn foal. I see you for your flaws as well as your perfections._

_I love the duality you have to offer. I remember you once told me you feel that you’re night and day sometimes with how you act. I’m going to take this moment to remind you that you are all that’s best of dark and bright._

_I hope you have a better rest of your day, Marinette. I love you._

_PS- Also, leaving you with one of my favorite poems by Lord Byron called “She Walks in Beauty”. There are times I’ll be looking at you and one of the lines will run through my head._

  
  


**_She walks in beauty, like the night_ **

**_Of cloudless climes and starry skies;_ **

**_And all that's best of dark and bright_ **

**_Meet in her aspect and her eyes:_ **

**_Thus mellowed to that tender light_ **

**_Which heaven to gaudy day denies._ **

**_One shade the more, one ray the less,_ **

**_Had half impaired the nameless grace_ **

**_Which waves in every raven tress,_ **

**_Or softly lightens o'er her face;_ **

**_Where thoughts serenely sweet express_ **

**_How pure, how dear their dwelling place._ **

**_And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,_ **

**_So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,_ **

**_The smiles that win, the tints that glow,_ **

**_But tell of days in goodness spent,_ **

**_A mind at peace with all below,_ **

**_A heart whose love is innocent!_ **"

Adrien listened to Marinette’s voice as she read the poem out loud and she sniffed a little bit as she looked between the pages and the rose.

“How did he know I needed cheering up today?” she whispered under her breath. A few happy tears spilled down her cheeks and she wiped them away. “Seriously, I needed this. So much.”

Adrien patted her hand as he looked over the poem again. “It’s a beautiful poem. Didn’t we cover this in literature a few years ago?” 

Marinette nodded. “The whole poetry mod sparked a few debates if I remember correctly,” she giggled as she tucked both sheets back into the envelope and then the rose onto the bench. There was a tenderness in her eyes as she looked between she and Alya a moment longer. “He’s spoiling me rotten. What did I do to deserve this?”

Adrien looked away a moment before meeting her eyes. “Maybe you didn’t have to do anything at all, Marinette. Surely Chat sees everything you do for others. Maybe he’s decided it’s high time someone goes over the top for you,” he offered. It was his exact feelings on the matter, and Adrien would be damned if he didn’t treat her like the princess she was. “Won’t lie though,” he added with a small cheshire grin. “He’s setting the bar pretty high for the rest of us plebs in the romance department.”

Alya and Nino both snorted in amusement at that. “Isn’t he, though?! You’ve been surprised three days in a row this week. Nino’s gonna have to play catch up if you get anything else,” teased the Ladyblogger as she nudged her boyfriend’s shoulder.

“It is not my fault Nette’s being romanced by a damn superhero, okay? He’s got a magic suit to help him get in and out if he needs to,” laughed his friend and Adrien shook his head. 

“He can’t be a superhero all the time,” Adrien countered. “Even if he could, he promised Marinette in the first letter that he wasn’t using his alter ego for that. That he was doing all of this as his civilian self. So how’s he getting around under our noses if that’s the case?”

It was just the thing needed to put Alya on a tangent, and Adrien chortled to himself. While he wouldn’t be able to go see Marinette tonight, he knew from here on, the rest of the gifts he had planned for her would need to be left at her home. Tomorrow’s gift was going to be an interesting struggle to say in the least.


	4. Thursday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien tries to give Marinette her next gift at school and is almost caught, so he resolves to give it to her in person that evening. Tom Dupain's 'Dad-Senses' kick in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to throw out some massive thanks to the Mirculous Fanworks Discord Server, especially Nomolosk and Saganjagger for being amazing sounding boards/betas for this fic! You all are wonderful!

His heart thundered as he pulled his hand from his pocket, his peripherals locked to the unexpected straggler that flounced into the classroom without any warning. 

It was the perfect moment to give her the next gift, she was fast asleep at her desk and he’d offered to get both of them packed up before waking her. Everyone, including the teacher, left him to his own devices and exited the room in a storm of chatter. Theories about Marinette’s next romantic surprise abounded, along with who the suitor’s identity really was. He had just reached into his pocket, intent on placing it on her wrist, when the door slammed open again.

That was too damn close.

There was a stalemate between them to see who would move first, though Adrien was sure to keep his movements smooth and even. She didn’t need to know what she’d just interrupted.

“Aren’t you going to wake up Marinette, Adrien?” Lila asked in her syrupy sweet voice. Her words dripped acid, however, and it was more than enough to keep him on edge.

Adrien chuckled, his palm rubbing circles into her back. “With Marinette, slow and gentle is the way to go. Nino taught me this, and she’ll rouse in a few minutes. You’ll see,” he replied. 

Lila gave him a sinister smirk as she sidled closer. “Is that so? Not what it looked like to me,” she sneered. “I warned you years ago that going against me could ruin you, if you recall.”

Adrien cast her a glare as he continued to keep rubbing Marinette’s back. He saw her hand move towards her phone, her eyes open, the look in them telling him to keep quiet. He stepped in, closer masking Marinette’s movements as she pulled up a recording app. “Good luck with that, Lila,” he replied blandly.

Her heeled boots clicked against the floor as she walked over with purpose. “All it would take is a suggestion to the dean, Adrien. One little suggestion that you might be partaking in stalker-like behavior. Random gifts and love letters, a few crocodile tears about how Marinette is worried for her safety. What would your father think if I were to tell him you’re sexually harassing one of your female friends?” Her voice was smooth, but burned like venom with the threat.

Adrien rolled his eyes. The PR team at the brand would quash rumors and hearsay like that in an instant. “And you wonder why I dropped you like a bag of rotten tomatoes,” he breathed out. He turned to face her, his green glare harder than emeralds as the top half of his face was cast in shadow. “I warned you before not to hurt my friends, Lila. Don’t think I’m that easy of a target,” he hissed.

The brunette harrumphed in disbelief as she folded her arms over her chest. “I’ll admit, trying to turn the class against Marinette was a bit overzealous on my part. The shadow of doubt was cast over me when I tried to get her expelled some years ago, after all. Plus there’s the fact that she’s always doing something to help someone when they need it.” She let out a disgusted groan at that thought, rolling her eyes all the while. “It’s hard as hell to smear someone with such a nauseatingly, almost saintly, image with the community. Especially when she has some big name celebs ready to back her up, yourself included of course.

“You, on the other hand, Adrien? Agreste senior only cares about the image you give the company. Face it, you’re nothing more than a walking advert for his brand and he’ll never see you as anything else. Me,though? He still listens to me, and ruining you with your father is the best revenge I can think of. Especially since all you’ve ever wanted was his approval,” she hissed.

“Get. Out.”

Lila looked down at Marinette as she lifted her head, her eyes wide open in worry at the tone the other woman took. “What are you—I mean, weren’t you sleeping?” she stammered, clearly shocked from the vehemence in the other woman’s voice. 

“Shut your mouth, you foul excuse for oxygen consumption. I’m not going to let you talk to him like that. So. Get. The. Fuck. Out!” she seethed from between clenched teeth. Marinette slammed her hands down on the table, her eyes raining fire and brimstone down on the brunette.

Lila scattered like a cockroach, hurrying out the door and slamming it shut behind her.

“You know your father will believe you over her, right?” Marinette whispered.

Adrien shook his head, unsure in all honesty. “Not until he hears that recording, he wouldn’t,” he hissed. He wasn’t worried about Lila’s lies though. If anything, Nathalie and Guillaume would be able to back him up where Lila was concerned.

Adrien was worried about how he’d almost been caught. He’d been too confident, too brash in his actions. He’d gotten caught up in the thrill of the surprise. It almost cost him everything. As he thought it over, that wasn’t the best time to leave the next gift anyways. Too many people knew he was the last person to be alone with Marinette. Too many people would have connected the dots. 

All it would do was hand Hawkmoth his identity on a silver platter.

* * *

Adrien looked at the burner phone in his hand, his brow furrowed with indecision. Due to how long and grueling the battle was the other night, it was no surprise that he didn’t speak to Ladybug after the battle. He didn’t even want to get started on today’s near miss in the classroom either. While Lila hadn’t blatantly said it, she was quickly becoming suspicious about the amount of attention he was paying to Marinette while she was reacting to her gifts. Enough to accuse him of being Chat Noir?

Maybe... 

Worst yet, he didn’t have another patrol with Ladybug until next Monday. It was possible Marinette would give him an answer before then.

Thinking of…

“Plagg, it’s time to make a quick run of the arrondissement,” he called out.

“I figured. I just finished snacking, so we’re good to go on my end,” replied the kwami as he flew over. He looked between the burner and Adrien a few times before settling his paws on his hips. “I thought that was for emergencies only?”

“It is, but I need to talk to LB and I didn’t have the chance to after the akuma the other night,” he murmured. “It’s about the fact that I’m not hiding my identity from Marinette if she accepts me.” He didn’t even want to think about Lila right now. Where that conniving wretch was concerned, his identity was safe. He walked over to his closet, pulling out the custom outfit Marinette made for him out of a hidden panel in the very back. 

“I see. Do you think it’s going to cause a problem between the two of you?” Plagg hovered over his desk for a moment, taking in the gift he had planned for Marinette tonight. “This one looks better than the last one you made.”

A small smile crossed his face at the compliment. “Thanks Plagg. I’m excited and nervous to give her this one to be honest. Especially considering I was almost caught earlier. Marinette might not have been as asleep as we thought.” Adrien weighed the rest of Plagg’s words while he pulled on the nondescript black tank, and then the hoodie. The ears and mask were in his pocket for the moment and he walked over to the chair to put on the sneakers. “You know, part of me wants to hold to the promise that Ladybug and I made years ago. That she’d be the first to learn my identity once we defeated Hawkmoth. I don’t know if that’s happening any time soon, Plagg. I wanted to see if she was open to the idea of revealing sooner rather than later. If we could meet sometime in the next couple days or something before Marinette gives me her answer,” he whispered as he tied the laces tight. He sat back against the chair, his brow still furrowed. “Should I throw her a text asking for a meeting? Should I just call her and ask her opinion then?”

Plagg flew in closer, his paw tapping his chin again. Two taps this time. “What if she tells you no and threatens to take me away if you reveal yourself?”

Adrien scowled at that thought. “She’s the guardian, but even she would admit that would be a stupid move. I’ve bonded with you already, and she’d have a hell of a time training a new Black Cat. I’ll respect her decision if she decides to keep her identity to herself, but I will not hedge on my reveal to Marinette. I won’t lie to someone I love,” he told the kwami. There was something familiar and not about those words, something that brought a warm feeling to his chest that he associated with the Oblivio akuma.

Funny enough, that was the only time the memory of an akuma roused that reaction.

“Nonetheless, I’ve got a few counter arguments ready for her if she wants to push the issue, Plagg. The biggest one being that, as the guardian, she should have learned my identity years ago,” Adrien murmured as he plucked up the gift. Counting to five to make sure everything was still there, he eased it down into a long, thin box. “Where’s this week gone?”

Plagg chuckled a little as he lighted on Adrien’s shoulder. “Not sure, but she’s cutting it down to the wire,” he teased.

Adrien laughed a bit. “It’s a big decision, Plagg. For her at least. Besides, both of us are pretty sure Alya’s keeping tabs on the balcony one way or the other. She’s probably going to wait until the weekend when Alya will be too busy to think about watching for her answer.” That was a discussion they had during lunch today, albeit in a joking manner.

Well, until they caught Alya’s guilty expression that was.

Plagg snorted in his mirth. “Have you and Pigtails worked out a plan about that yet?” 

“You said you were ready to go, right?” Adrien asked, completely deflecting the inquiry.

The kwami snickered a little as he leaned forward. “I guess that’s a no on how to keep that blogger girl off your trail?” 

Adrien cast him a small glare before sighing. “Marinette and I will figure something out to that effect. Don’t worry,” he whispered. If there was one thing Adrien could count on, it’s that Marinette was clever as hell. If anyone could help him brainstorm ideas to keep his identity safe, it was her. He fiddled with his ring as he got to his feet. The masque was situated into place next, and he patted his pocket to make sure the ears were there. Once he was sure he had everything needed for the mundane disguise, he put Marinette’s gift in his pocket. That complete, Adrien looked to his partner. “Let’s go, Plagg. Claws out!”

The jaunt over to the bakery was a short one, and he landed against Marinette’s balcony with a soft thud. In the same breath, he called off his transformation and took to a knee beside the skylight. With a deep breath to steady his nerves, Adrien rapped his knuckles against the window. 

“Come on in, Chat!” called Marinette. Was she by her mannequin again?

Plagg zipped over to Marinette the moment Adrien cleared through the entrance and she giggled as she cradled the kwami to her cheek. 

“It’s good to see you again, Plagg. I’ve got a cheese danish up here for you if you’re hungry. 

Plagg looked between her and Adrien before grinning. “I’ll eat it later. The kid looks antsy right now and I don’t wanna deal with the mushy gushy stuff that’s about to go down,” he teased. He leaned in close to Marinette’s ear, whispering something that she nodded at and he purred as she scratched under his chin. “Just give a holler when you’re ready, kid.”

Adrien chortled as he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I will, Plagg. Thanks.”

“So what brings you by tonight, Chat?” asked Marinette. She was comparing swatches of fabric to a design on her desk and she gave a small huff before throwing them down. “Damn. None of those are going to work.”

Adrien’s brow rose as he walked over to the desk and he ran a finger over the swatches before taking in the design. It was an elegant piece, nothing formal, but more business apparel. “What are you trying to decide on? The materials for the pantsuit or the vest and shirt?” He had a few ideas going through his mind for the fabrics she needed. He leaned over the desk, crowding her space, but he felt her shift to accommodate him. Her head leaned into the crook of his neck, and Adrien felt a purr rumble up at her proximity.

“The pantsuit. I’ve already got the fabrics chosen for the other two pieces,” Marinette replied. He could all but hear the pout in her voice.

"What if I told you I could get my hands on the fabric, in a color that's close to this?" he whispered, smoothing one fingertip along the line of the design. The other hand came up to rest on her hip. 

"I'd call you a godsend, but I don't want you to waste your money for that. I say that because the only fabric I can think of working the way I want it to is expensive as hell." Marinette sighed against him as one of her hands came up, scratching along the back of his neck. "I'll just have to take on a few extra shifts in the bakery to get the five yards or so I need."

Adrien was in heaven the minute her nails started in against his neck, his green eyes fluttering closed at the contact. "Just trust me, Purr-incess," he breathed out. He took her hand in his, pulling her along with him across the room. Even without his tail, Adrien knew where everything was. He sat down against the chaise, and with a smile he opened his arms up to Marinette. 

She gave him a small laugh as she eased between his legs before leaning against his chest. "In need of more cuddles already after the other morning?" she teased. Her tone was warm and affectionate nonetheless, and her head nestled under his chin. "Lucky for you, I’m up for more. Your warmth is addictive.”

Adrien smiled as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the box he put there before transforming. “I had ulterior motives to getting you this close, Marinette.” Wordlessly, he inspected her wrists as he held them up. The lucky charm he gifted to her on her birthday some years ago was tied to her right hand, whereas his own was tied to his left most of the time. Currently, it was sitting on his desk waiting for him to come home. He lowered the right one down, tracing the lines of her left palm with his fingertip. “I’m not going to be able to leave anything at the school for you any more. I was almost caught earlier,” he admitted. Adrien focused on her palm, following her love line in a looping circle. “But that just gives me the excuse to do this. Purromise me you won’t look up?”

Marinette blushed a little, but she nodded against his collarbone all the same.

With that, Adrien pushed the masque up, still feeling like his alter ego with it on. “I, for one, know how much the little things mean to you, Mari. You’re always adding a personal touch to the gifts you give, all of them hand made. I’m not that great with my hands, but I’m hoping you’ll like this just as much as the birthday gift Adrien gave you.” 

Silver glinted in the light as he pulled it up, and a plethora of beads glittered invitingly as he wrapped the bracelet around her left wrist, fastening it in place with pride. “I’ve got five charms on here for now, each of them with their own meaning,” he whispered against the top of her hair. “The first one is probably self explanatory. A black cat?” He fingered the charm of a black cat with green eyes and her index finger traced it with a soft coo at how precious it was. “That’s me, on both sides of the mask. The bell—” His finger moved to the tinkling gold bell next, the slight movement making it ring merrily. “—signifies what my bell on my costume does. It’s my hopes and dreams for the future. Our future, Marinette. All I’ve ever wanted was a loving home and family of my own, and I see all that and more with you. Only you.”

His hand moved to the next one and Marinette laughed softly. “A mouse?” 

“Only for the best mouse hero that ever jumped the roofs of Paris,” Adrien answered. His cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. “Part of me wants to contact LB to ask to borrow Mullo for a night, but I haven’t seen her since the akuma attack Tuesday night going into Wednesday morning. Which sucks because I need to talk to her soon.”

Marinette wiggled against him and she almost turned her head up. She must have remembered her promise not to look up at the last second because she squeaked in dismay. “Sorry, I almost forgot. You took it off for a minute, didn’t you?” Adrien nodded and she let out a long sigh. “I should’ve figured. What do you need to talk to her about?”

“My plans about my identity? I’ll tell you more about that later. Next charm, though. That’s ones pretty self explanatory too, huh?” he laughed.

Marinette giggled against him, the tip of her finger tracing the shape of the gaming controller. “For all the nights I’ve kicked your ass at UMS,” she said with a soft sigh. Her finger moved to the last one, an umbrella with a few water drops hanging off. “What’s this?”

Adrien’s smile softened and he placed a kiss against her hair. “That’s to commemorate the moment I realized I was in love with you,” he answered. “It was storming outside a few weeks ago, and I, unlike most cats, happen to love the rain. It’s soothing and helps me think. You’d been on my mind, relentlessly, and I couldn’t figure out why. You never told me the other guy’s name, Mari, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be there for you like I have. If he knew you as well as I do. If he’d love you as fiercely as I would if you were to give me the chance.” He reached up, pulling the masque back into place. It was well timed because Marinette looked up at him with tears glistening in her eyes and he cupped her cheek. His thumb traced the curve of it, brushing away the tear before it could make its trek down.

Marinette’s lower lip quivered a bit as she rested her brow against his. “You beautiful, compassionate soul,” she whimpered. “I’ve been asking myself what I’ve done to deserve anything like this, to deserve you, but I keep coming up short.”

Adrien shook his head, rubbing his nose to hers, thought he couldn’t keep his mouth from quirking. He was trying to resist the urge, but she set him up too purr-fectly. “I know you’re vertically challenged, Marinette, but that doesn’t make you any less deserving.”

A waterlogged laugh sputtered out of her as she smacked his chest and Adrien laughed right along with her. “I’m going to kiss you, you ridiculous alley cat,” she murmured.

“You’ll get no complaints from me,” he whispered. Adrien’s eyes slipped closed of their own accord as he tilted his head to one side, anxiously anticipating the softness of her mouth against his.

The trap door to her room slammed open, making both young adults jump and scramble on the chaise. Marinette fell to the floor with a deafening thud, and Adrien couldn’t help but wince at the sound.

“Ah! Sabine and I thought we heard your boots on the roof, Chat! Why don’t the two of you come down and join us for supper!” proclaimed Tom, an exuberant smile on his face. There was a glint in his eyes, however, that told Adrien he knew exactly what he interrupted.

Swallowing past the nervous knot that formed in his throat, Adrien couldn’t help but feel that this was going to be one very long supper.


	5. Friday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette have a study session/homework date to keep their weekends open, and he slips her the latest gift. Marinette finds it upon returning home. Shall we just say...Surprise?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, need to express my love and adoration for the Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server for their help with this chapter!

Friday went better than he thought it would. Granted, he had a photoshoot that took up the majority of his afternoon, but Marinette promised to come by with copies of the notes she took, along with any assignments that needed to be completed over the weekend. Adrien picked up his next planned gift for Marinette, his green eyes glittering with mischief.

It would be a close call, but she might not find it until tomorrow.

Plagg hovered nearby, his green eyes thin slits in his impishness. “Trying to figure out how to give that to Pigtails?”

Adrien nodded as he flipped through a few of the pages. “This one’s gonna be a gamble and a half, Plagg. What if she figures out I put it here while she was over?” he murmured. He wanted to check everything he’d put in there, just in case. He spent days writing out each message, making sure that each one was from the heart. Deeming it complete, Adrien tucked another letter in between the cover and the first page.

His cell phone buzzed with a notifier. Marinette was here! Adrien threw the sketchbook under his pillow for now. He only had seconds before Nathalie knocked on his door and—

**_Knock knock knock_ **!

"Alright Plagg, time to make yourself scarce!" hissed Adrien as he walked to the door. 

"She won't even know I'm here!" replied the kwami in a sing-song voice as he phased into the closet.

Adrien took a deep breath in before he opened the door and he plastered on a megawatt smile at the sight of Marinette. "Hey! Thanks for coming by. Nathalie, we'll be working through supper. Can you have it delivered up here please?" he asked with pleading green eyes.

"Of course, Adrien. Your father is busy as well, so that should be for the best. I'll arrange it with Guillaume to drive Ms. Dupain-Cheng home when you're finished for the evening," she replied.

"Thank you, Ms. Sancouer, but I don't live that fa—" Marinette began.

"We would be remiss if we didn't escort you home, Ms. Dupain-Cheng, especially if the hour is late. Please, allow us this much?" Nathalie bargained, though by her tone of voice, she wasn't allowing for anything to the contrary. "Oh, before I forget, the appointment you arranged for me to make for you to meet with Mr. Agreste? I was able to get you a thirty minute slot for tomorrow morning at ten. Will that be doable?"

Marinette beamed from ear to ear. "It will, Ms. Sancouer. Thank you!" She breathed out a sigh of relief when the door was closed. " _Merci mon Dieu_!" she groaned, sitting heavily on Adrien's bed all the while. 

“I’d take that as a compliment. Everyone else would have been forced to walk home,” Adrien chortled as he took a seat beside her. 

Marinette shook her head as she reached into her bag for the notes and assignments. “We may as well get started on these. Just be warned, Ms. Mendeleive did not take it easy on us this afternoon in class. Lucky for us, I got permission to record the lecture via Markov.” Marinette handed him a thumb drive next with a grin. “You’ll need to watch that first before tackling today’s work and the homework she assigned. I need to get started on my art thesis,” she said with a small huff. 

“Start away, then. Oh, before we get down to the nitty gritty, do you want anything to drink or to snack on?” Adrien asked as he popped to his feet. 

“I’ll just go down to the kitchen if I need to, Adrien. Thank you, though,” she said with a soft grin. She pulled her tablet out of her bag, pulling up the image she was working on for her project. He wanted to ask what it was about, but Marinette was right that they needed to keep focused. While he was watching the lecture, he reviewed Marinette’s notes and looked over the assignments with a furrowed brow. He was already half way through the day’s assignment when the lecture concluded and Marinette rose off the bed for a quick stretch. 

“Break time?” he offered.

“Ten minutes. I’m gonna head down to the kitchen. Would you like anything?”

“If they have any sliced fruit, that’d be great. As for a drink, surprise me?” Adrien called over his shoulder as he took a moment to write something out.

“Sure thing!” Marinette called back. 

Adrien hopped to his feet the moment the door closed and he looked at her bag. Too soon. It was too soon to put it in there yet. Maybe he could ask her for updates on the whole situation with Chat? Get into her head a little to see if he was on the right track?

“How do you think you’re gonna pull this one off?” Plagg asked as he settled on Adrien’s head, peeking through the blond fringe with a shit eating grin.

“Might have to wait for the last possible second. Maybe while walking her out to the car? I’m sure something might come up to distract her enough for me to slip it in,” he replied. He heard a tap at the door and he tried to look up at his little friend. “Time to hide again, Plagg. Have fun, okay?”

“Don’t worry,” cackled the black cat. “We are.” With that, the kwami zipped off again, leaving Adrien to shake his head in befuddlement.

Why had he used a third tense in regards to himself?

Opening the door for Marinette, his eyes widened in delight at the tray she was bearing. It had a mix of their favorites, along with two tall glasses of Orangina. Gathering the notes and the homework assignment, the two adjourned to the sofa to snack and work at the same time. 

“I don’t know about you, but I’d rather knock everything out now. I’ve got plans for this weekend that I don’t want to interrupt for anything,” Marinette said. Her blue eyes were moving left to right in rapid fashion as she read something over again for clarification, and Adrien grinned.

“Those plans wouldn’t happen to include an answer for Chat, would they?” he asked innocently. It came across as light teasing, and a charming blush bloomed along her cheeks and nose. Again, he was struck with the urge to kiss every single freckle the rouge revealed. “You know you can tell me, right? I’m not gonna say anything to Alya.”

The papers in her hands were laid in her lap, her fingers traveling up to twirl an errant lock of hair. Her new charm bracelet tinkled gaily against her wrist with the movement. “I’m waiting until Sunday,” she whispered. “I’m still a little on the fence but—I mean, it’s a big thing. Identities are supposed to be secret for a reason. At the same time—” Her voice trailed as her eyes took on a softness he’d only seen directed at himself for a long time. “—I won’t lie that I’m feeling adventurous.”

His heart raced at the admission, and Adrien fought to quell the blush creeping up on his cheeks. Instead, he pulled Marinette in for a tight hug. “I’m glad to hear it! You deserve to be happy Marinette. Honestly!” he whispered enthusiastically in her ear. “Now, tell me about this charm bracelet!”

Marinette was more than happy to tell him all about the charms and their meanings, along with a few details that told her he’d made it by hand. “I noticed that this eyelet here? It was removed and then replaced to get all the beads on without warping it. It’s only slightly crooked, but that’s what makes it perfect to me,” she said with a lovesick grin. Her fingers trailed over the cat charm, tracing over the shape of it. “How close do you think he is? He told me he almost got caught trying to give it to me at school.”

Adrien laughed at that as he reached for the snack laden tray. “Must be closer than any of us think he is. Speaking of, you heard what Lila said the other day,” he groused, his brow furrowing. “There’s gotta be something we can do about her.”

“Oh I can think of a few things, but the problem, my dear Adrien, is that both of us are too pretty for prison,” Marinette huffed. 

He almost believed she was joking in saying that.

“I’d post bail for both of us in an instant if you want to share those ideas,” he said with a smirk.

“Nope. That way only one of us goes down for premeditation. Now, back to this assignment,” Marinette decreed as she gathered her notes up again.

It was easier than he thought it would be to slip the sketchbook into Marinette’s bag without her notice. She had just finished packing everything away when Nathalie called her over to speak in private for a moment, probably in regards to whatever Marinette was meeting his father for in the morning. He assured her he’d bring her bag to the door and walk her to the car.

As the two women entered the foyer, Adrien fought to calm the thundering pace his heart was beating at. He wanted her to find the pink, mole skin bound sketchbook, but at the same time, he knew it would put her one step, hell a giant leap, closer to her figuring him out. 

_“I won’t lie that I’m feeling adventurous.”_

Her words from earlier instilled more hope in him than he believed possible. 

Maybe the black cat wasn’t as unlucky in love as he thought.

Exchanging a quick set of cheek kisses before she climbed into the car, Adrien rushed inside to talk to his father about a certain fabric he knew was at the main office that they could stand to part with about six or seven yards of.

* * *

Marinette gently set her bookbag down in her computer chair, soon followed by her purse. “I hope you weren’t too bored, Tikki,” she said, reaching up to loosen her hair from its style. 

Tikki flitted around her hands, taking the ties to put with the rest at her vanity. “Not at all! We had a great time today,” she chirped, only to press her little paws to her mouth.

Marinette’s brow arched. “We, Tikks? I didn’t know you referred to yourself in the third,” she teased with a grin. 

“Yeah, hahaha. Silly me, huh?” Tikki replied with a stressed grin. 

Marinette reached into her bag, wanting to sketch something before she started getting ready for bed. The night was still young, after all.

That, and she had to patrol later tonight.

Her brow furrowed as her fingers brushed against something soft, and she opened the bag further. Pulling it out, her eyes were wide in surprise as she looked it over. High grade moleskine notebook? It wasn’t in her bag until...Until…

Marinette opened the cover, and her heart thudded at the sight of a letter. She couldn’t help the breathless smile that spread across her face all the while, and she opened the envelope as fast as she could.

_Princess,_

_This is but a simple gift for you, and something someone of your creative caliber is always needing. There’s something special about this sketchbook though._

_Every page has a message I’ve written for you. Sometimes they’ll be romantic. Sometimes they’ll be funny. Like it or not, one or two of them may even be punny. I mean, this is me we’re talking about here._

_But I hope that each message brings some level of inspiration to you, or helps to brighten your mood if you’re having a bad day. Even if I can’t be there with you, I don’t want you to doubt that I will always be here for you, Marinette, on both sides of the mask._

_I love you and I hope to see you again soon._

Marinette dashed up to her bed, turning on the lamp there for better light. Tikki nestled in beside her, excited to see what Chat had written on the pages. 

The first one was no surprise.

_Just so you know, I’m madly in love with you._

Marinette and Tikki giggled as she flipped the page, her eyes darting to the bottom where Chat’s elegant script flowed.

_“You are more powerful than you know; you are beautiful as you are”- Melissa Etheridge._

_“I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.” - Roy Croft_

_“You are my today, and all of my tomorrows.”- Leo Christopher_

_“You are beautiful, sexy, and cute. All at the same time. Can you teach me this power?”_

_“I love you like I love croissants. And let me tell you, I REALLY love croissants. (Especially your dad’s!)”_

_“Are you fresh out of the oven? Because you make me feel all toasty inside.”_

_“I hope you realize how fond-ant I am of you.”_

_“I didn’t macaron choice when I picked you.”_

_“Can I be your player two?”_

_“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride.” - Pablo Neruda_

_"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." - Dr. Suess_

_“In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours.” - Maya Angelou_

Marinette could feel happy tears flowing down her cheeks as she flipped through each page, and she felt Tikki nuzzle her neck as they kept reading.

_“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk through my garden forever.” - Alfred Tennyson_

_“I’m proud of the woman you’ve blossomed into, Marinette.”_

_“When the day is long and for when my soul cries, I stare at the sky to look into your loving eyes.”_

_“Seriously, if you’ve been reading all of these as you’ve been filling the pages, I owe you coffee.”_

Marinette and Tikki both collapsed into laughter at that one, and she turned yet another page. She only dimly realized that she completely missed her patrol time because they were so engrossed in Chat’s messages to her.

_“Never doubt what you mean to me, Marinette. You’re as stunning as the content filling these pages. How do I know? Because I know you. You put your heart and soul into everything, and that’s what makes you beautiful.”_

_“I want to make all your dreams a reality. No matter how big or small they are.”_

_“Don’t go bakin’ my heart!”_

_“I think at this point it’s needle-less to say how much I love you. But I’m sew not going to stop.”_

_“You’re the thread that stitches me back together when my soul is rendered twain.”_

_"For the two of us, home isn't a place. It is a person, and we are finally home." - Stephanie Perkins_

_“You’re my home, Marinette.”_

_"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds." - Nicholas Sparks_

_“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.“ - Aristotle_

Marinette and Tikki shared a look between them as she turned the last page. She was expecting something along the lines of “The story is only beginning.” or “True love has no end.”. 

She was not prepared at all.

_“I still remember the day I once called you our “Everyday Ladybug” during the Hero’s Day picnic all those years ago. What I said in my letter when I first started courting you still holds true. You’re the woman Ladybug should aspire to be. I hope that you can look back on every page and draw something from each one as you continue on through ESMOD. I’m proud of you and I love you, Marinette.- With love, Your Adrien”_

“With love, Your Adrien,” both of them whispered.

Tikki was the first to suck in a breath. “I get the feeling you weren’t supposed to read all of these in one go,” she whispered sheepishly.

“Adrien is Chat Noir?” Marinette whispered. Sure enough, the longer she stared at the script, the more familiar it became. She slid down the rail, needing to get to her closet. Wrenching the door open, she dug through the boxes until she found what she was looking for. 

The poem he wrote several years ago on Valentine’s Day.

She compared certain words, her blue eyes blown wide in shock. She sat down hard against the floor, the back of her head colliding with the wall. 

“Adrien is my kitty, Tikki? Paris’ sunshine child is my goofy, pun loving partner?”

Tikki floated down, wringing her paws together. “Yes, Marinette. Though, to be fair, he did warn you at the beginning of the week you were going to learn who he was.”

Marinette laughed a bit, covering her face with one hand. “We’ve been locked in a damn love square this whole time! Is it possible for us to be anymore blind?!” she asked. Utterances of "I can't believe this," and "I'm so damn stupid," filled the room.

Her kwami rolled her eyes at her melodramatics. “What are you going to do about it?” Tikki asked. 

The question made her pause, and Marinette's finger tapped against her chin as she pondered her next move. She needed a plan, one that would come to fruition. There was no screwing it up this time. “I’ve been wrestling with the decision on telling him my identity too, Tikki. But now, now he has to know.” Marinette sat up straight, an idea shocking her into movement. 

_I_ _f you're open to me courting you, knowing in the end that it will lead to your learning my identity, leave a single, lit candle on your balcony._

She was open, alright. But she had to plan this just so!

Marinette bolted back up the steps, and out the skylight, her blue eyes wiping around to look for something familiar.

To her surprise, there was Chat leaning against the railing of the rooftop he brought her to four years ago. Despite the memories attached to it, it seemed to be one of his favorite spots in the arrondissement for him to stop and rest at. How long had he been there? Was he making sure she made it home? _Maybe it's for the best that I didn't go out on patrol tonight,_ she thought to herself. 

She leaned against her railing as well, watching him in the distance, both of them not bringing attention to themselves. Adrien had been doing things for her all week that catered to her personality. It was only fitting she do something of the same vein for him. But what though?

It would have to be a grand, romantic display for starters. Inspiration struck again, and she fought the urge to do her happy dance. That would give away that she was planning something big for him. Her eyes were darting left to right as she considered the logistics, the supplies needed, what the weather was supposed to be that evening.

Marinette gave Chat—Adrien— a small wave and she was able to make out his smile as he waved in return. He pointed at himself, then to her as if asking if she wanted him to come over. Marinette shook her head no, though she blew him a kiss as she went back into her room. Through her window, she saw Adrien sag against the railing, his tail lashing languidly behind him. A small laugh escaped her as she climbed into bed. She knew he wasn't watching for a candle. She'd just told Adrien earlier she was waiting until Sunday after all. Her heart stopped when the realization hit her, forcing her to bolt up in bed.

Sunday was her deadline. She had less than two days to get everything set up.

Well, she mused with a grin, Marinette told Adrien that she was feeling adventurous.

What better way to dive into one than a good, old fashioned time crunch?


	6. Saturday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans keep shifting around, but Adrien rolls with the punches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I've been on a real roll with this one! I'm so excited for the next chapter that I haven't been able to stop writing! I hope you guys enjoy this one! I won't lie, this chapter pushes the rating a little bit lol

_ Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. _

That sound annoyed the ever loving hell out of him. Whereas the gentle  _ pit-pat _ of rain was soothing, the monotonous sound of a clock ticking grated on his sensitive ears and made him want to grind his teeth. 

Twenty nine minutes.

Marinette entered the viper’s den twenty nine minutes ago and now only thirty seconds of her slotted time remained. 

Adrien couldn’t deny his curiosity was going into overdrive.

_ Fifteen seconds _ . 

Why did Marinette need to meet with his father?

_ Ten seconds. _

Was it in regards to the offer the Agreste brand sent her some weeks ago? Adrien remembered seeing Marinette’s file on his father’s desk, along with a copy of the portfolio that he, Alya, and Nino helped her put together.

_ Five. _

Was she in the midst of planning something for him?

_ Four. _

How in hell was he going to sneak the six yards of fabric Nathalie delivered to him this morning into her room without giving himself away?

_ Three. _

Did he give himself away already? Had she figured out when the sketchbook got into her bag?

_ Two. _

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, thank you for taking time out of your morning to speak with me on the matter. Nothing was brought to my attention so I believed everything to be fine,” Gabriel said as he escorted Marinette out of the room. “Ah, Adrien. Perfect. I received some of the proofs from yesterday’s shoot from Vincente. There was a slight scratch on the lens maring the quality of the photos. We’ll have to redo them this morning. Did you have plans this morning?”

Adrien shook his head. “You know, Marinette, if you’re not busy, I'd love it if you come with us. It might count towards work credits,” he offered with a grin.

Gabriel smirked as he looked between the two teens. “That is a fabulous idea, Adrien. In fact, I insist you join us, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Nathalie, please contact the Boulangerie Patisserie and ask for either of her parents if they’d be willing to sign some paperwork,” he ordered. “Both of you head on ahead of us. I’ll call ahead to Vincente and give him an update to the plans I have in mind for the designs. Nathalie and I will meet both of you there shortly.”

Marinette nodded with a small grin and she gave Adrien a blinding smile as they walked for the front door. “Other than the last minute shoot, how’s your morning been?” she asked.

Adrien grinned as he opened the door for her and Marinette scooted into the back seat of the sedan. “Not too bad. How was your night last night?” he replied.

“Pretty neat. I did some sketching last night before going to bed. I’ve got an idea for a couple of themed kigurumis. I might need to borrow you though. Your measurements are pretty close to the recipient I have in mind,” Marinette pulled out her normal sketchbook, flipping open to a page with Ladybug and Chat Noir themed kigus. Adrien already felt his heart hammering in his chest.

He pulled the book closer to take in the details and his smile stretched from ear to ear. “These are going to be adorable once they’re done, Marinette. I’ll be more than happy to buy one from you if you have enough materials for it. If not, I’ll buy them and get them to you, and then pay you handsomely for your work,” he whispered with a wink. 

Marinette scooted closer to him, pointing to the page. “Knowing you, Adrien, you’re probably gonna want a Ladybug themed one,” she teased with a small giggle. 

Adrien’s heart sped up as Marinette nestled in against his side, explaining the different fabric choices she was making for each kigurumi. His body grew hot with the contact, every inch tingling pleasantly where she pressed against him. Adrien could feel the goosebumps forming on his arms and making the hairs stand on end.

_ Pay attention. She’s talking, _ he chided himself. Adrien scrabbled for the ledge, not finding purchase. He managed to catch a snippet of the next phase of her kigu ideas in the attempt to keep his sanity tethered. Not only was Marinette planning to make Chat Noir and Ladybug, but she was also planning on the rest of the heroes. He felt himself fall again, unable to hear a word she said as blood pounded through his ears. His arm felt like it was vibrating, so strong was the urge to wrap it around her shoulders. 

Her sweet scent fogged his brain, doping him high on the endorphins her proximity caused.  _ Even in my civilian state, she's still like catnip, _ he realized with a groan. A purr threatened to rumble out of his chest, stuttering his breathing and his lightheadedness increased. In his heightened state of awareness, Adrien could smell the sweetness of raspberries and sugar that lingered from her breakfast. 

He wanted to sample that taste so badly.

How easy would it be to turn her chin up and claim her lips? He wanted to see her out of breath, cheeks flushed, to feel her body respond to his branding heat. Adrien was desperate to feel her soft, drowning warmth sag and mold to him again like when they danced. Just like that, his sanity pitched over the edge, sending his brain into a mad tumble of sensation that left him floundering in her proximity. She was the air he needed to breathe, the light to guide him out of his dark loneliness. 

Paris was wrong in calling him the sun. Marinette was his sun, his moon, his stars, universe and everything else in between. 

Adrien swallowed thickly, the urge to kiss her greater than it was before. He suffered with the temptation all week, and was interrupted at several turns when trying to learn the unique flavor that was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Was the universe conspiring against him, or was this the final dregs of bad luck from the black cat to draw the torment out as long as possible? 

Why couldn’t today be Sunday?!

Adrien was growing tired of the wait. He wanted to act now, more than he ever had in the time that he held his miraculous. He was drawn from his inner thoughts as the car came to a stop and Marinette perked up as they arrived on set. His mind suffered a slow reboot after the sudden shortage it experienced. He could feel Plagg shaking against his breast pocket as he tried not to laugh out loud. 

_ One more day, Agreste! It’s just one more day and nothing will hold either of you back any more _ _.  _ _ You can hold out for one more night _ _ , _ he told himself. 

Vincente grinned as he met the two at the car and Adrien gave him a bright grin. 

“Adrieno! Gabriel has already given me the instructions for you and your  _ bella prima _ ! Both of you, hurry to wardrobe and make up! Mama’s spaghetti is waiting!”

Both teens nearly tripped at those words. “Wait...WHAT?!” they chorused.

“Gabriel is having you,  _ mi stella _ , model with Adrieno today. Is this not the plan? I have the itinerary here,” Vincente replied with a puzzled expression. He shook his head as he cleared the doubts and misconceptions. “No matter, we will jump the hurdles as they come. Go! Get ready before you drop the plates!’

With a soft sigh, Adrien rushed for the tent that was erected, but he paused to grab Marinette by the hand. “Best not to keep him waiting, Marinette. I’ll walk you through it where I can,” he said with a grin. 

Marinette smiled as she caught up. “I’ll hold you to that, Adrien. Looks like I have to follow your lead today,” she replied. There was a lilt to her voice that gave him pause and he thought over that statement. 

Follow his lead today? What in the world did Marinette mean by that?

* * *

His heart rate spiked as Marinette molded to his frame, her right arm coming up to wrap around his neck. His left hand settled on her hip, pulling her into him as his head bent towards her neck. He flashed a smoldering grin for the camera as his green eyes leveled on a spot over Vincente’s left shoulder. 

“This plate needs to be  _ piccante _ !  _ Stella!  _ Lace your left hand—Yes, just like that! Adrieno! Tilt your chin up more, flash those pearly whites! You want to devour the plate before you, no matter how  _ speziato _ it is!”

Adrien grinned as he thought of something to fit the mold of what Vincente wanted. “Marinette, do you trust me?” he whispered against her ear.

“With my life, Adrien,” she replied. 

“Tangle your hand in my hair. And, uh, sorry in advance,” he purred. _Well, sorry, not sorry in my case,_ he thought with a wide grin. Marinette didn’t ask for an explanation as his teeth gently latched to the outer shell of her ear and his right hand splayed across the top of her abdomen, tilted ever so slightly towards the curve of her breast.

His father wanted steamy, edgy, and near provocative shots for this line. So far, he and Marinette delivered if Vincente’s crowing was anything to go off of. If that's what he meant by billowing plumes of steam off the spaghetti, that is.

Marinette let loose a soft moan that only he heard and Adrien resisted the urge to run his tongue along the small strip of skin at his mercy.

“Hold that! Right there! Perfecto,  _ mi bellos _ ! Heat the whole kitchen! Set fire to the spaghetti! Infuse the sauce with all the spice and heat you have!” The clicking of the camera shutter filled the space.

“Hold on. Miss Dupain-Cheng, put your right hand over Adrien’s and tangle your left hand in his hair. Turn your head to look at him,” Gabriel ordered. His voice was soft, contemplative, but no where near as stern as he was expecting for Marinette's first time on set.

Blue-bell eyes swam into focus as Adrien felt her grip tighten on his hair. Her breathing was stuttered under his hand, wafting in a pattern of heavy-heavy-light against his face. Their mouths hovered in place, breaths mingling. More clicks of the camera swam into his ears, but the world was quickly losing focus as every fiber of his being tuned in to the beauty in his arms.

“Adrien, look at the camera,” Gabriel added. Adrien almost missed the order with as fogged as his brain was.

There was no acting with the smolder he showed the lens. He wanted to devour Marinette, to burst into flame with her. 

“Perfect. Five minute break and then a wardrobe change,” Gabriel ordered with a nod. 

The day went on in a haze of electric sensation for Adrien. Having Marinette so close, so inviting was screwing with his head. The time on set flew by though, and before they realized it, it was three in the afternoon. Once he was alone, Adrien drew in a deep shuddering breath. The minute he was able to, he was taking to the rooftops on the other side of the city.

If he was anywhere near the bakery, Adrien would not be able to resist that siren call any longer. She was already going to haunt him all night as it was.

_ Just one more night. One more night, Adrien. She’s giving you her answer tomorrow _ , he told himself as he changed back into his normal clothing. 

“Adrien, I’m going to be looking over the proofs from today's session. It’s getting late enough in the afternoon. Take Ms. Dupain-Cheng out for supper as a thank you for joining us last minute. Nathalie and I have already made the arrangements with her parents for her to be compensated for her time,” Gabriel said. He was clearly distracted, though there was the shadow of a smile on his face.

_ So much for not being anywhere near her tonight, _ he thought to himself.

On the other hand—

That sounded like a good first date! One for Adrien to accomplish without any superhero influence! He scowled, no, he would need his disguise in the end. It’ll be easier to get her there as Chat than to risk the paparazzi. He already had the perfect spot in mind. “I’ll be sure to do that, Father. Is the rest of the day mine to do as I see fit?” he asked. Curious, Adrien walked over to his father, motioning for the printed proofs of the earlier session.

“It is, Adrien. If you were interested in Ms. Dupain-Cheng, you would have said something sooner. That makes things quite promising for the future where the brand is concerned,” he said. He tapped one photo in particular, the one where Adrien's lips were barely hovering over Marinette's. The two of them were lost in each other's gazes, oblivious to the world around them.

If he hadn't figured out his feelings before, he would have with that shot. The tender desire, tempered by his fiery passion, was clear as day.

"Keep me abreast if your relationship with her goes further. I've heard the rumors that Chat Noir has shown interest in her as well, but that kind of relationship won't last long if the secrets build up. In the event she tells the hero no, I expect you to put your best foot forward in courting her, Adrien," said his father as he turned around. Gabriel looked over his shoulder as he set the folder of proofs down. "Starting tonight with dinner. I'll have Nathalie make the arrangements. In the meantime, I suggest you take her shopping for something suitable."

Adrien shook his head. “Actually. I have a different idea that I know she’ll enjoy more. I just need access to the kitchen at home,” he replied. “That and I want to surprise her. So please, allow me to do this on my own, Father. No bodyguards, no one else. Just me and her.”

Gabriel gave him a small grin, one that looked like it had the smallest smidgen of pride in it. “Very well, Adrien. Best of luck tonight. Nathalie says she’s waiting for you in the car.”

Adrien burst out of the tent with a hurried goodbye to his father and he jumped into the back seat of his sedan. It was hard to hide his excitement, but he managed to make small talk with Marinette while they dropped her off at home. Once he was back at the manor, he ran to the kitchen to ask the chef for help in preparing a light picnic supper for two. The moment the words crossed his mouth, Adrien was shooed from the space with the promise everything would be perfect.

“Just go get yourself ready. I’ll have it brought to your room when it’s done,” they assured.

In the end, Adrien did as he was told. He was all but bouncing on the balls of his feet when the basket was brought to him and he grinned at the sight of chicken salad, a loaf from Tom and Sabine’s, and something chocolaty for dessert. It was nice and light, and appealed to both their tastes! Once the basket was in his hand, Adrien bid Nathalie a good evening as he went out the front door.

Looking over his shoulder and deeming himself far enough from the house, Adrien transformed, stashing the basket away while he doubled back to his room to change into the clothing Marinette made for him. The change made and a few extra wheels of camembert grabbed to throw in the basket, he was back out the window.

He was silent as he lighted down on the balcony, his smile ear to ear as he knocked on the window. There was no answer, however, and he peeked inside. Marinette wasn’t in her room. It was possible she was downstairs with her parents. They were just getting ready to close up after all. It was probably she was helping them with that.

With a wide grin, he set the basket down and dropped down to the street level where the family entrance to the bakery was. Once he was sure no one was around, he released the transformation and tossed Plagg a wedge of camembert. “Eat up, buddy. We’re not done yet,” he whispered before knocking on the door. While keeping his back to the street, Adrien adjusted his masque, waiting for someone to check. 

His brow furrowed when he didn’t hear anything and he knocked again, this time a little harder before checking his watch.

Were they already upstairs?

Just as he was getting ready to turn around to check the storefront, someone grabbed his sides, tickling his ribs. Adrien couldn't help the squeal of laughter that left his throat, though it was quickly joined by Marinette’s as her arms wrapped around him. Her hair was still a bit damp from a shower, but it was flowing free in the late afternoon breeze.

“Hey gorgeous,” he whispered with a lopsided grin. His arms came around her in turn, pulling her into a tender embrace.

“Hi hot stuff. What do I owe the pleasure of your company this evening?” Marinette asked with a giggle.

Adrien beamed as she opened the side door, bringing him inside. Tom and Sabine were just finishing their clean up and they both came over to give him a brief hug in greeting. “Actually, if it’s alright with everyone, I was hoping to steal Marinette away for a dinner date? I know it’s last minute, but I’ll have her home at a respectable hour,” he said with a nervous shrug of his shoulders.

Marinette’s face brightened at his words, and he knew he made the right call in asking all of them if it was alright. He knew how important family was to her after all.

Tom and Sabine seemed to share the same sort of wordless communication that he and Ladybug did and Sabine looked over to him. “Have her text if it’s later than ten thirty please, Chat. Otherwise, go have fun,” she said.

Adrien whooped with glee and he gave Sabine an exuberant kiss on her cheek as he pulled Marinette towards the stairs leading to the apartment. “Thanks Mrs. Cheng! Have a wonderful evening!”

Marinette giggled as Chat led the way up to her room and then to the balcony. “What are you up to, Tomcat?” she asked.

“I never said where we were going for dinner,” Adrien said as he plucked up the basket. “Plagg!”

“Right here, kid,” groaned the kwami. “Just make it quick.”

“I’ve got two wheels in here for you to eat while we’re on our date. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered buddy,” Adrien said as he gave Plagg a scratch under the chin. “Claws out!” He looked at the basket and Marinette for a second with a small scowl. “I might have to make two trips.”

Marinette shook her head as she took a step back. “Actually, I’ve got a surprise of my own for you too. Somehow or another, LB heard about what you’ve been up to this week and she came to see me last night after you left that rooftop. Remember what you told me Thursday after dinner? What you were hoping to ask her if you had the chance?” she asked.

Chat’s eyes were wide with hope. “That she’d let you borrow Mullo one more time?”

Marinette’s smile was ear to ear as she revealed the mouse miraculous around her neck. “Mullo? Get squeaky!”

Chat could barely contain his glee as he held out a hand to Multimouse. “Shall we,  _ mon souris-ette _ ?” Her fingers loosely grasped his and he brought them up to his mouth to press a kiss to them. 

“We shall,  _ mon chaton _ ,” she replied.


	7. Sunday - Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happiness, doubt, worry, hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a **_FUCKING BEAST_** to write, so much so that I have to split it into two parts! So here's the first half of Sunday! I'll get the second half edited as fast as I can, so please enjoy this for now!

His green eyes cracked open. Warm sunshine spilled through his windows and onto his face, pulling him back to consciousness. With a groan, he turned onto his stomach, burying his face into his pillow and pulling the blanket up over his head.

Adrien wasn’t ready to greet this day yet. Not after the amazing time he had last night with Marinette. He took her to a secluded garden that allowed them the perfect view of the sunset over the city while they ate, sharing tidbits about their day. Once night fell, both suited back up, taking to the Parisian rooftops for a moonlit run, one that resulted in an exhilarating game of Chat and Mouse. He still remembered how beautiful, how ethereal, she looked in the pale glow. Her eyes, those beguiling blue orbs, shimmered like gems with captured starlight. Her smile radiated their shared joy, bringing him into a stunned stillness at the vision she made for. Adrien turned onto his back again, his eyes closed as he released a long, simpering sigh of contentment. 

Damn he loved that woman.

“Hey, loverboy. Get up! Heartless is coming,” Plagg groused as he pushed Adrien’s head.

Adrien cast Plagg a small glare. “Quit calling her that,” he grumped as he pushed up off the bed. “I’m up, Nathalie!” he called out to the door.

A few seconds later his door opened and Nathalie stepped in. “Good morning Adrien. Breakfast will be served shortly, and your father wants to meet with you before lunch. Your morning and afternoon are yours to spend how you see fit, though your father did mention he’d appreciate it if you got some time in on your piano today, or an extra lesson for your Chinese. If you want my advice, I’d get out to go see Miss Dupain-Cheng again if she isn’t busy.” There was a small, conspiratorial smile on her face as she looked up at Adrien from over her tablet.

Adrien matched the smile as he got out of bed with a long stretch. “She’ll be busy helping in the bakery today, Nathalie. Besides, she saw me all day yesterday and I’ll see her in school again tomorrow. Maybe I’ll put in some time on my piano this afternoon. I will be heading out for a little while this morning after breakfast to take a walk in the park across from the manor. I need some air to clear my head and thoughts,” he admitted.

Nathalie’s brow arched as she regarded Adrien’s words. “Did your date not go well last night?” she asked.

He laughed to himself. “I’ll tell that to Father myself when I sit down with him. That’s why he wants to see me, right?” With a jump, Adrien grasped the pole leading to the second level, using only his upper arm strength to climb up. “Is there anything else, Nathalie?” he asked.

“No, Adrien, there isn’t. Do you have any requests for breakfast?”

“Keep it light. I think I might go for a run instead, do a bit of parkour around the area. I’ll eat something more substantial at lunch after I see Father,” he replied as he opened his closet. 

“Very good, Adrien. I’ll shorten your workout for tomorrow if that’s the case.” She walked towards the door, but paused as he came back out with a pair of red shorts and a black and green tee. “Say hello to the Dupain-Chengs for us if you stop at the bakery. If you do, would you please pick up an assortment of their macarons for me? Also, your father is partial to their quiches.”

Adrien grinned at that information. “Thank you, Nathalie. I will,” he replied.

Breakfast was a quiet affair and Adrien allowed instinct to take over as he ran through this part of the city so his thoughts could wander. 

It was finally Sunday.

Marinette promised him last night that she would give him her answer before he finished his patrol. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was nervous about tonight.

What if she said no after all? Would he be able to act the same towards her in the long run? Would their friendship wither because of his broken heart? Could he stand to lose her as his friend if that were the case? Adrien shook his head. No, that would all but invite Hawkmoth to akumatize him. Something he could not, would not, allow to happen.

What if she said yes, though? How were they going to tackle the issue about concealing his identity? Most of their class knew by now that Chat Noir was actively pursuing Marinette. Hell, even his father heard about it! _Probably from Lila,_ he thought as he jumped onto a tall garden wall. Adrien grunted as he hauled himself up, running along the top of it until he reached the end. He jumped from the wall to a nearby tree, balancing himself on a branch to catch his breath.

There was still the issue of her threat as well, he realized with a furrow in his brow. Adrien knew for years that she was spying on him for his father, which hadn’t helped their relationship. Did Gabriel really resent him so much that he resorted to cloak and dagger methods to keeping tabs on him rather than speaking to him himself? Just another thing to bring up during today’s talk if it came up, he surmised. Adrien was worried he’d lose his appetite because of it.

He jumped down from the branch, dropping into the push up position while the air was still somewhat cool. _Two, three, four—_ His thoughts still scattered despite the count, his teeth gritting at the welcome burn in his arms. 

Adrien turned over onto his back, moving right into his sit up repetitions, hoping the counting would drive off the negativity he was feeling. Once his sets were complete, Adrien folded his arms behind his head, staring up at the blue sky through the leaves. He took a deep breath in and held it for seven seconds before he released it slowly, and he imagined the shadows marring his heart and soul leaving with it. 

He needed to trust everything would work out the way it was supposed to. Things had gone amazingly all week with Marinette, there was no room to doubt now. Right? It certainly seemed that way, if last night was anything to go off of. To him, it felt like Marinette was very much looking forward to their new adventure together.

Adrien had a lopsided grin on his face as he jumped to his feet. Both of them were looking forward to it, and they would come up with a plan to keep everything under wraps. The only other two people that were sure to figure it out were Tom and Sabine, but he was okay with that. He could trust them.

The furrow in his brow returned. It was sad that he trusted them more than his own father. 

Knowing there was nothing for it now, Adrien started jogging for the bakery. All the while he felt a happiness mounting the closer he drew and his smile returned as he stopped at the door. Walking inside, Adrien welcomed the wall of sweet smells that vied for dominance, and he took a deep breath in to hold it. Walking into the bakery always felt like coming home. 

“Good morning Adrien!” Tom called out from behind the counter. “Marinette! Grab one of the fresh chocolate croissants and a tall glass of ice water!” 

“I’m actually here to place an order, Mr. Dupain,” Adrien said with a slight pant to his voice as he caught his breath. His smile was still ear to ear as he bent over at the display case. “Who’s on macaron duty today?”

“That would be Marinette. I made the croissants, and Sabine has a couple fresh quiches cooling as we speak,” Tom replied cheerily as he eased his paddle into the oven to pull out the fresh loaves. 

At the mention of her name, Marinette appeared from the back and she gave Adrien a bright smile as she handed him the fresh pastry and beverage. “How are you this morning?”

“I’m good. Can you choose an assortment of macarons for Nathalie? I don’t have my wallet on me, but I’ll call in later with my card,” Adrien said as he tapped his pockets.

Sabine snorted in her mirth as she handed Marinette an empty box. “And I’ll hang up. Just tell your father and Nathalie we said hello, Adrien.”

He shared a conspiratorial look with Marinette between the glass and she nodded at the silent communication. She’d cover the bill and text him the cost later. Then he'd either wire her the money or hand if off in person the next time they met. “What quiches were made today?”

Sabine told him and Adrien grinned when he heard his father’s favorite, along with his own. “I’ll take both, Mrs. Cheng. I have a feeling Father will be working right through lunch, and I’ve been working up an appetite all morning,” he chortled as he stood straight. He finished his pastry and his drink as Tom finished boxing everything for him and bagged it up. 

“Marinette, Tom, I’m going to step out for a moment for a break,” Sabine said cheerily. “If you don’t mind, Adrien, I’ll just walk with you on your way home.”

“Not at all, Mrs. Cheng, I’d love the company,” Adrien replied. “Have a wonderful day Mr. Dupain! Marinette!”

Two more goodbyes met him as they walked out the door and Adrien turned towards the park next door. It was a straight shot through to the manor after all. “How has your morning been so far, Mrs. Cheng?” he asked.

“It’s been wonderful. Marinette told us she’s giving you her answer tonight,” Sabine said with a grin.

Adrien flailed and nearly tripped, but lucky for him, Sabine managed to catch everything before it hit the pavement. “She’s not giving me an answer, Mrs. Cheng. She’s giving Chat Noir an answer,” he said with a nervous laugh.

Sabine chuckled as she held on to the pastries. “I’m not blind, nor am I stupid, Adrien. The next time you drop her off at home after a date, I expect you to come inside so Tom and I can say goodnight to you as well. Last night was a different story, considering you had to race that thunderstorm home, but any other time won’t be behind the mask, now will it?”

Adrien swallowed as he shook his head, his thoughts spiraling as he tried to figure out how she figured it out so quickly. He was scared to ask her out in the open like this. “ You and Mr. Dupain seem pretty sure she’s going to say yes,” he whispered. 

Sabine brought them to a pause by the fountain and she pulled him by the hand to take a seat beside her. “Adrien, she’s loved you for years, but she wasn’t ready. She couldn’t be until she loved all of you, and until you loved all of her. Believe me, you’re not facing rejection tonight. Not like before,” she whispered as she cupped his cheek. Sabine pulled him in for a motherly embrace and he felt tears sting the corners of his eyes. 

When was the last time he felt affection from any of the adults in his life like this?

“What Tom said to you the other morning stands, Adrien. If you ever need to escape that mausoleum, you will always be welcome with us. You’re family now, and you can trust your papa and I to always be there for you when you need us.” Her voice was soft against his ear as the tears fell down his cheeks. Her hold was comforting as she rocked him back and forth, and she hummed a familiar chinese lullaby that he found himself mouthing the words to. As his breathing calmed, Adrien felt her thumbs brush the tears from his face. “I think, once you two establish things, Tom and I need to have a long talk with Gabriel. But for now, young man, you’re going to go home and enjoy those quiches, and you’re going to relax. Everything is going to go fine tonight.”

Adrien nodded as he gave Sabine one last tight hug. “Thank you,” he whispered against her hair. “I’ll see you soon.” He rose to his feet, taking the bag in hand and Sabine gave his cheek one last pat before she turned to go back to the bakery. Adrien took a deep, centering breath in before he returned home. Nathalie was passing through the foyer when he entered through the front door and she smiled when she saw the bag in his hands. Carefully, Adrien dug the box of macarons and handed them to her. 

“Does he have time now? I’m ready to get in the shower and just spend some time to myself for the rest of the day,” he whispered.

Nathalie nodded. “He does. Earlier than anticipated, but he’ll be busy with our American suppliers most of the afternoon and well into the evening,” she replied.

“Thanks. I’ll head in now,” he replied, walking for the door to the atelier. He knocked thrice and he heard Gabriel give him the order to come in. “You wished to speak with me, Father?”

“Yes, Adrien. Please, take a seat. How was your date with Miss Dupain-Cheng last night?” Gabriel set his paperwork off to the side and he looked up in surprise as Adrien laid the boxed quiche on his desk. “Thank you, I wasn’t aware you stopped at the bakery this morning.”

“I just got back, and it’s piping fresh from the oven. Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng send their regards by the way,” Adrien said as he took a seat. “As for my date, it went well. Marinette and I enjoyed a small picnic supper last night while watching the sunset. Marinette had an enjoyable time. Afterwards, we took a stroll around the city. I made it home just before it started raining.”

Gabriel nodded as he listened. “Simple, but elegant enough. Miss Dupain-Cheng—”

“Marinette. If we’re going to date in the near future, you might want to address her by her name, Father,” Adrien corrected gently.

Gabriel weighed his son’s words with a single raised brow. It was rare for Adrien to take such a tone with him after all. “How serious are you about her?”

“If she does accept me, I don’t intend to let her go. If that causes an issue with you, then I will give up modeling completely. I can still pay my way through school and live comfortably for a few years,” Adrien replied.

Again, Gabriel seemed to measure the weight of his son’s words and tone. “I have no issue with Marinette, Adrien. While I’d rather you went into Business Management, I promised your mother I would not stop you from pursuing any goals you set for yourself. I will respect your decision to go into a different field. However, if your plan is eventually matrimony with this girl—” He took off his glasses, reaching for the cleaning cloth to his right. He rubbed at the lenses for a moment, and he replaced them as he gave his son a small grin. “—you’ll be happy to know I do not disapprove. Miss Dupain-Cheng is a talented and resourceful young woman and I fully intend to make her my protege in the future. I’ll be happy knowing I can turn over the company to her with the knowledge that it will stay in the family. There was one other issue I wanted to speak with you about while I have you here, Adrien. It has come to my attention Miss Rossi threatened you after class the other day.” The words hung between them as pale blue orbs stared into emerald green. “Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

Adrien scoffed. Was he so out of touch that he felt the need to ask that question? After all the complaints Adrien made after each shoot, each subtle hint that Lila was a conniving glory seeker? “May I be blunt?” he asked as he got to his feet. Gabriel gave him a sweeping wave as if to say go ahead.

It was on now. Adrien could feel the hurt and anger bubbling up to the surface, boiling over like a inky black tide. He felt Plagg vibrate against his chest, an attempt to calm and soothe him before he let his bitter emotions sweep him passed the point of no return.

“I never said anything because that leech had an arrangement with you. I don’t know what you promised her, but I know you’ve been using her to spy on me while I’m at school.” He started pacing back and forth, his ire at the situation, his disappointment in his father—Everything he was feeling was carefully woven into each word and hurled at Gabriel like verbal missiles. “How was I to know what all she was doing on your orders or with your blessing? I didn’t know what she’s been saying behind my back all of these years. Quite frankly, the way I saw it, you were compromised the minute you allowed her to do and say as she pleased, the minute you allowed her to throw Nathalie and Guillaume under the bus. In short, I didn’t trust you to trust my word over hers,” he hissed as he leaned over his father’s desk. “If that’s all, I’m going to my room for the rest of the day and I expect to be left alone.” He stalked for the door, his heart hurting with the exposure of the wound. It made it all too clear how massive the rift between them was. 

“Adrien, wait,” Gabriel said.

“Unless you can tell me, with absolute certainty, that you would have believed me or wouldn’t have twisted the situation to pull me out of school and put me under your thumb again, I don’t want to hear it,” he snarled. He looked over his shoulder, his verdant gaze narrowed scornfully upon his sire. “Anything you got from her, if any of it was even true, you could have just as easily asked me for. All that mattered, that ever matters, is business. Even now, you only approached my decision to date, and maybe marry, Marinette as a plus for the brand.”

Adrien turned back around, needing to look his father in the eye for this. This was the worst part of the hurt, the truth he always knew but never voiced until this very second. Each step he took was silent, his aura overwhelming as Gabriel sat back in his chair in shock. “Hell, you won’t even **_look_ ** at me unless it’s related to my modeling, or any of the extracurriculars I do. I don’t understand what I did to warrant that behavior all these years considering I was still a child when it started. Ever since Mom disappeared, all it has ever been for you, is business. More importantly, you didn’t think of how Marinette makes me happy, how she’s helped me grow as a person. Of how wonderful she is just because of who she is. My happiness and well being have always come second to. Your. Fucking. Work.” Adrien was back in front of the desk, jabbing one finger viciously into the stack of papers to emphasize each word. “Quite frankly, I haven’t had a father in almost six years. All I’ve had was an employer.”

With that, Adrien turned on his heel and exited the atelier, racing for his room. The moment he was inside, he went straight for the bathroom, turning on the faucets as hot as he could stand them before stripping down. He held back for only as long as it took for him to dunk under the spray, but the moment the water hit him, the sobs tore free.

As liberating as it was to finally tell Gabriel how he felt, each truth was a Cataclysm to Adrien's heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Please don't kill me?!_


	8. Sunday - Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angst. Comfort. Worry. Curiosity. Joy. Love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's part 2 of Sunday! I totally _**PURROMISE**_ this is going to make the last chapter worth it! One more chapter to go!

Adrien found his outfit from Marinette laid out on his bed when he exited the bathroom, and a few tears leaked down his cheeks again as he looked at Plagg. The kwami was sitting on his normal pillow, looking up at Adrien with worried, bright green eyes. “You should go to her,” he whispered.

Adrien sat on the bed, scooping up the black cat and bumping his head to his tenderly. There were days he wondered where he'd be without his little cheese gremlin, and Adrien already knew the answer to that. It wasn't a pretty mental picture, and one he refused to dwell on. “I’m okay, Plagg. I’ve been needing to work through that for a long time now. I’ll be okay to wait until later. I think I’d rather just veg out in front of the TV with the quiche I brought—” His words trailed when he realized he left his quiche in his father’s office. “Shit,” he murmured as he hung his head.

“Spectacles brought it in and set it on the coffee table while you were in the shower,” said Plagg as he rubbed his cheek to Adrien’s. A soft, soothing purr rumbled between them, prompting Adrien to let his own roll out. “At least get dressed and we’ll veg out together. Sound good?”

Adrien gave him a wan grin with one last head bump. “Sounds good, buddy.”

That was exactly how they spent the next seven hours. The two even passed out in a food induced coma after gorging themselves on quiche and cheese, lazing in the warm sunlight as if filtered through the high windows. Adrien woke up as the sun was setting and he groaned as his head pounded in protest. Too much time spent crying, not enough spent replinishing his fluids. Sleeping in an odd position on his sofa didn't help matters either.

“Damn, I should have taken a few aspirin earlier,” he groused as he rose to his feet. 

No time like the present.

Adrien chased the bitter pills with some water before he picked up his phone, double checking to see if he had any missed calls or messages. There was a single text from Nathalie, asking him to let her know if he was up for dinner or not. It was sent more than three hours ago.

It was creeping up on six thirty now. Pulling up the chat window, Adrien resolved to at least answer her.

**A.Agreste:**

**No, Nathalie, I’m not hungry.**

**I’m going to go out for some air.**

**Not sure when or if I’ll return home tonight.**

**_N.Sancoeur_ ** **:** ****

**_Understood._ **

**_I’ll run interference if needed._ **

**_At least try to be back by_ **

**_seven so you can go to school._ **

That text sent, Adrien got dressed and made sure he had everything he’d need. Wallet? Check. Cellphone? Double check. Miraculous? Triple check. 

“You’re not getting dressed in the outfit Pigtails made for ya?” asked the kwami. It was clear he was curious, all cats were. 

“Yeah. Don’t get me wrong, it’s comfortable. Tonight though, I just—I just need to be me,” he replied as he pulled on a wrist watch. He made one last pause to grab a cardigan from his closet and he walked out of his room for the front door. His footsteps were fleet and silent as he raced down the grand staircase, his eyes hyper-focused on his goal. So much so he didn't see the door to his father's atelier open.

“Adrien?”

His hand froze before wrapping around the handle. There was something in his father’s questioning tone that made Adrien pause, but he didn’t turn around to look at him.

“If you stay at a friend’s tonight, at least text one of us to let us know, please,” whispered Gabriel. There was a heaviness to his voice that Adrien didn’t hear often, but a small part of him took smug satisfaction that his father felt guilty about something. 

“I will. Good night,” replied Adrien as he walked out the front door. The moment he was far enough away and in a secluded spot, he transformed, taking to the rooftops. Slowly, the stress of the day flowed out of him like the wind through his hair. His nose twitched, scenting rain on the air.

Tonight was the perfect night for another storm. He needed to feel the rain against his skin, cleansing him, freeing him. He only hoped it held off long enough for him to see Marinette’s answer.

He lighted on the beam he and Ladybug designated as theirs. It was always the same one, Chat could recognize it because it had a few small gouges from his claws. He sat down, his eyes overlooking the city, but his mind a million miles away. Retreating inwards, Chat allowed the sounds of the night to wash over him, oblivious to the passage of time. He jumped when the suit rippled and warmed a few times, Plagg's way of getting his attention, and he checked the time. 

Patrol started an hour and a half ago. He didn't realize how long he’d been sitting there, staring out at nothing all this time. A familiar zip from his partner’s yoyo made one of his ears twitch, but he didn’t turn to look at her. He was still trying to work through his own inner turmoil. Chat was already considering worst case scenarios again.

Instead, her hand settled between the cat ears, her nails scraping against his scalp. “Hey Kitty. You okay?”

“Been a rough day, LB,” Chat whispered. Despite the comforting touch, his ears were still pressed flat against his head. “I know it’s my day to patrol and I’m sorry I haven’t gotten started yet, I just...I lost time up here. I think I’ve been trying to stay numb after everything that happened at home this morning. I’ve been meaning to talk to you too, now that I think on it.”

“How about we talk as we patrol? It’s going to rain soon, Chat.” she said, shaking his shoulders a little in a playful gesture. “Besides, don’t you need to go by the Dupain-Cheng bakery?”

His ears popped up in surprise at the mention and he turned to look up at her. “You know about that?!” He paused, smirking at himself. “Of course you do. Not like there's much I can keep from you and the rumor mill hasn’t been helping matters. But yeah, Marinette’s supposed to give me her answer tonight.” Chat couldn’t help it, his shoulders curled in as he felt the negative emotions bubble back up to the surface. “I know I should head over that way, but I—” He scoffed at himself as tears built up in his eyes. “—I’m such a coward right now. I’m afraid of not seeing anything. I don’t even know how I’m going to face her at school tomorrow if that’s the case,” he whispered.

“Chaton?” Ladybug’s voice was warm and soothing against his battered soul. “What is your heart telling you?”

A cool night breeze flowed over them, smelling of freshness and ozone and Chat breathed it in deeply. He wasn’t sure what his heart really had to say on the matter. Too much hurt happened earlier. “I don’t know, LB. I’ve been trying not to get my hopes up,” he whispered.

Ladybug gave a soft sigh and she pulled at his arm to get him to his feet. “We’ll patrol together. You talk. I won’t say a word. Just let it out, okay?”

Chat nodded and he let muscle memory take over as he followed Ladybug over the rooftops of the city. He was mindful to keep names out of his explanations for now, as he hadn’t broached the identity topic with her yet. By the time he finished talking about the conversation with his father, he realized they’d come to a stop on top of Notre Dame. He could make out the faint twinkle of Marinette’s fairy lights on her balcony. 

“I can’t see anything from here, not with the lights on,” he said, his voice thick with nerves. Chat took a small step back turning away. “I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t want to set myself up for heartache,” he whimpered.

Ladybug’s hand on his shoulder was comforting and centering all at once. “Do you trust me, Chat?” she asked him.

“With my life, Ladybug,” he replied instantly. He was struck with sudden familiarity from yesterday’s photo shoot. The positions were reversed, but Marinette said the same thing when he asked her that very same question. 

“Close your eyes. I tell you when to open them,” she said.

Chat took a deep breath in and he relaxed. His body focused on physical sensations to quiet the turmoil his mind was in. His left arm raised on its own as her arm circled around his back, pulling him in close. Her breathing pattern was calm and steadying, lulling him into a calm. The ringing _ZING_ of her yoyo being thrown electrified his nerves, preparing him for the small jump and weightless flight through the cool night air. It was always more thrilling with his eyes closed and Chat couldn’t help the whoop that escaped him. His toes skimmed the top of the Seine and he yowled, Plagg’s influence and dismay to his partner purposefully teasing him in such a manner. His stomach dropped as they arched back into the sky, and Chat felt his feet touch a level surface. He crouched a bit, instinct to lessen the impact to the rest of his joints.

“Just another second, Chaton. I’ll tell you when to open them,” Ladybug said. There was an excitement to her voice. What was she seeing?! The yoyo zipped through the air again and just as fast, he felt her presence disappear.

Another cool breeze washed over him. He wasn’t going to make it home in time to beat the storm. It was going to hit in just a few minutes. The temperature was rapidly falling around him, and was heavy with the smell of water. “Plagg? Can I see her balcony from here?” Two pulses from the suit and warmth brought a small smile to his face. Something had the kwami pleased. “Is she coming back?” Another two pulses and warmth. Sure enough, he felt Ladybug land nearby but behind him. 

What confused him was the soft orange glow that popped up into existence on the other side of his eyelids.

“You can look now, Adrien.”

Slowly, he let his eyes open. In front of him were a multitude of lit candles, scattered rose petals, throw pillows, a long futon, and a couple of fluted glasses. A bottle of champagne was sitting on ice, still corked and waiting for them to open it in celebration. Tears filled his eyes as he looked down at the scene, his smile growing. Then he realized what she called him.

 _Adrien_.

Ladybug called him by his name.

His given name!

His pulse quickened, his breathing shallow as he took everything in all over again. Wait a minute. He knew this rooftop. It was like stepping into a memory from four years ago, one that both soothed and hurt.

“Spots off.” The whisper was so faint he would have missed it on the wind if not for his augmented hearing. Slowly, Chat turned, his heart thundering as he too called off his transformation. Plagg zipped off, joining Tikki and the little rooster kwami he knew to be Orikko as they watched the scene unfold. 

He swallowed thickly, keeping his eyes averted to the floor until he saw a pair of pink flats. Adrien trembled as he rose his gaze, taking in the flour covered jeans and dark pink shirt that fluttered against the breeze with each sweeping pass. A single candle was cradled in her palms, the warm glow illuminating her face from below. Dizziness tried to grip him, but the joyful thundering of his heart as he recognized that smile, those sweet freckles, and clear blue eyes through the fringe of her black tresses kept him tethered. He let out two soft laughs as he stepped closer. 

“It’s you,” he whispered.

Trembling hands rose to push the candle away, but she was already setting it down with more of its lit brethren against the railing. His fingers found hers, smoothing over the skin as he gripped them as tight as he dared. Two tears streaked down his cheeks as one arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her in close.

“It’s always been you.” It came out as a dumbstruck laugh as he cradled her cheek, relishing in the light and warmth of her. 

It had always been Marinette.

A crowing laugh burst from him as Adrien hugged her around her middle, lifting her up and spinning Marinette around. Her joyous trills joined his as she grabbed his shoulders, her smile, the loving look in her eyes, all of her was imprinted to memory. He set Marinette back to her feet, taking a deep breath in as he looked over every inch of her.

Adrien couldn’t find the words to speak. His smile was wide, making his cheeks hurt from the intensity of it, and he tucked a stray strand of hair away her ear. His thumbs circled her earrings, her miraculous, for a second. Her fingers were lingering over his ring, the touch comforting and accepting. His breath left him forcefully, stolen by the woman before him. 

Marinette was his partner of almost five years. His best friend, his confidant. This amazing, brilliant woman was nothing short of amazing!

How lucky was he to have fallen in love with her twice?

Thunder rolled overhead, matching the racing tempo of his heart.

Adrien closed the distance, his lips meeting hers as he cupped both her cheeks. Her hands fisted his collar, pulling him in tight, mushing their noses together and he felt her smile against his mouth. A spray of rain covered them, but Adrien paid it no mind as his hands found their way to her lower back, pressing her in closer as he tilted his head, sealing his mouth over hers. Marinette’s hands tangled in his blonde locks keeping him close and she gave a pleased hum that reverberated through him.

_Pit-pat pit-pat pit-pat pit-pat pit-pat pit-pat._

It was a gentle tempo against his head, his neck, shoulders, and back as he immersed himself wholly into the love between them. Like the rain, it was warm and soothing, cleansing the heaviness away from his soul, healing the hurts that the morning brought. Her scent still curled into his nose, the water dripping off the tip and transferring to her cheek in a seamless path. 

He wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, but he knew they were soaked through by the time he pulled away from the sweetest lips he ever tasted. His nose rubbed against hers, following the tip in a smooth circle as he pushed her hair out of her eyes.

“I love you.” Adrien whispered, finally finding the words to speak. Her smile was blinding, warming him through and banishing any lingering chills of doubt. He scooped her up again, spinning them around again. “I love you, I love you, I love you! I lovah WOAH!” Adrien slipped against a wet patch, knocking over the ice bucket with the wine and sending them into the pile of wet pillows with a resounding **_SQUELCH_ **. He yowled as the ice and cold water shocked his skin, and his back arched, nearly throwing Marinette off of him.

A small snort of mirth escaped her as she shook, and that was all it took for the two of them to burst into gales of laughter. Marinette rested her head against his chest, her fingers drumming out his heart beat.

“I love you too,” she whispered, nuzzling him as his arms wrapped tight around her. "All of you, Adrien."

Adrien grinned at the words, though his face fell in realization at the second round of sudden familiarity they brought on. "Your mom knows," he whispered.

"What?!" Marinette screeched as she sat up in his lap. "What do you mean?!"

Adrien pushed himself into a sitting position, his eyes glazed over as he thought of the words Sabine Cheng said to him that morning. "Your mom told me that both of us had to learn to love all of each other. That and that I wasn't facing rejection again. Marinette has never rejected Adrien, but Ladybug rejected Chat for years," he murmured. He pushed his wet hair off his brow, turning stunned green eyes to Marinette. "How the hell did your mom figure us out?!"

“Can we please take this inside before you two start theorizing?!” Plagg’s irritated caterwaul broke the moment and the two young adults couldn’t help the next round of laughter that gripped them.

“I think—” Adrien said as his breathing regulated again. He eased Marinette off of him and rose to his feet, holding his hand out to her as he always did. “—that is a great idea, Plagg. Shall we, _ma princesse_?”

Marinette placed her palm against his, and his fingers curled around her in a comforting gesture. “We shall, _mon prince_.”

Adrien transformed as Marinette grabbed the bottle and the flutes, and he scooped her into his arms before jumping for her balcony. They'd come back later to clean up the mess. Marinette eased the skylight open. He carefully swung them towards the floor, bypassing the bed so they didn't get her sheets wet. Sure enough, as soon as they landed, there was a knock on the door.

"I've got towels. Marinette, do you have a change of clothing for Adrien to borrow? I can throw your things into the dryer for the time being, but you're not going anywhere tonight, young man," Sabine Cheng decreed as she came into the room. She looked up at him and gave him an exasperated look. "We've been over this. I know who's under the mask. Transform back and get dried off. I will not have either of you getting sick."

With a quick look exchanged between them, Marinette stepped forward to accept the fluffy towels. "I have something for Adrien to wear, Maman, no worries," she said as green light enveloped Adrien one more time. 

"Good. As soon as you get changed, give me your wet things so I can dry them before I go to bed. Nonetheless, I'll see the four of you in the morning. We're going to have a long family discussion about how things are going to happen from here on, understood?" Sabine asked. Both young adults nodded numbly and she smiled sweetly before giving each of them a kiss on the cheek. "Don't be long." And with that, she went back down the steps, closing the door behind her as she made her exit. 

The two were silent while changing, though Adrien smiled warmly as fresh tea and some soup and sandwiches were brought up for them. Sabine wished them a good night, planting another maternal kiss in his damp locks. "Goodnight Maman," he whispered in reply as he hugged her with his free arm.

The food was consumed in quiet and Adrien plucked up his phone while Marinette took their dishes down. He almost forgot to send a text to Nathalie. He was just finishing it when Marinette's arms wrapped around him from behind and her head nuzzled him between his shoulder blades. "So...Do I want to know how you figured me out?" he asked.

Marinette chuckled as he turned around, embracing her in turn as she looked up at him. "The sketchbook. Tikki and I read through all your messages in one go," she admitted. "But we can talk about all that later. We need to talk about what's going to happen going forward."

Adrien nodded in agreement. "If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears, Princess," he replied. 

Marinette puzzled over it for a bit but then he saw _IT._

The Smirk.

Her Ladybug Smirk.

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. "What'cha got?" he asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told ya'll she had a plan 😁


	9. Epilogue - Monday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan comes together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are folks! This will be the final chapter of When the Chat comes Courtin'! Enjoy the epilogue!

Adrien groaned as his alarm went off. Again, he wasn’t ready to wake up. The dream he had of last night was too good to wake up from, full of tenderness and love. That Marinette had been his Lady all this time. So no, he wasn’t ready to return to the stark, cold loneliness of his room.

**_THWUMP!_ **

Getting a face full of pillow, however, was a wake up call that he was not expecting. Instinct, honed after years of pillow fights, demanded he retaliate, but Adrien held it back.

“The hell?!” he sleepily exclaimed as he propped himself up on one elbow. His vision was still a bit blurry, but the one thing he could make out was pink. 

A whiny groan from beside him made him look down and tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he laid back down. 

It wasn’t a dream.

Gathering Marinette in his arms, Adrien pressed a kiss to her forehead as he smiled. Her arms wrapped around him in turn and she mumbled in her sleep as she tucked her head under his chin. “Mari,” he whispered against her ear. “Mari, we need to get up and get ready for school.” Another whine answered him and Adrien smirked, his eyes glittering. 

He’d been wanting to do this all week. 

“Marinette.” He placed a kiss on her cheek, chuckling as she wiggled in an attempt to get away. “Mari!” Adrien rubbed his cheek against hers, letting his inner chat take the reins. He heard a sleepy giggle as his stubble grazed the skin of her neck and chin and his smile widened as his eyes closed. His purr rumbled out as he nuzzled her, and he gently bumped his forehead to hers. “My lady, it’s time to wake up,” he said before placing a kiss on her lips. 

The sharp intake of breath from Marinette was enough to let him know that he succeeded in his mission. Marinette’s arms wrapped over his shoulders, pulling him in tight as she responded sweetly to him.

“That was evil and I will kick you out of my bed if you ever wake me up like that again,” she threatened half-heartedly.

Adrien grinned ear to ear as he propped himself up over her. “If it was so evil, why did you kiss me back?”

Marinette pouted but did not answer as she looked away. That sweet blush was back on her cheeks and Adrien felt his heart swell as he took in the image she made. Her hair was all over the place against the pillow, while her sleep shirt looked like it was dangling precariously off of one shoulder. Her eyes were doing a fair bit of roaming as well and she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth with a snort.

“I knew your bedhead was legendary,” she laughed. 

Adrien laughed and he leaned in to kiss her again, only to be interrupted by his phone ringing. Both groaned in dismay but Adrien reached to grab it. With a heavy sigh at seeing it was Nathalie, he answered.

“Yes?”

“It’s almost seven, Adrien. Are you going to be able to make it home to get ready for school?”

“No, I don’t think I am, Nathalie. Marinette and I need to have a long talk about the changes that came around last night,” he replied with a wink and a grin to his new girlfriend. “Can you just send Guillaume over with my school bag and a change of clothes?”

“I’ll be sure to do that. We’ll see you after your fencing lesson, Adrien. Have a good day,” Nathalie replied before hanging up. 

Adrien set his phone down as well and he gave Marinette a hooded grin. “So, ready to put this plan into action?” he asked.

Marinette laughed as she sat up, pressing her lips to his. “So ready,” she replied.

* * *

It should have been a normal Monday morning. The sun was shining bright, the air was crisp and sweet. The pigeons were cooing and flitting about, though it served as a reminder to Adrien that Mr. Ramier was about due for an akumatization. It was anything but normal, though, no matter how familiar the sight of students milling about the courtyard and halls was. 

Adrien set his things down at his desk, talking a quick, calming breath in. He and Marinette opted to arrive separately, if only to lend further credence to the show they were about to put on. Nino followed him in shortly after and the two shared a brief greeting before talking. Lila was the next one in, though Adrien had to hold back a glare at the sight of her. He was still pissed with her threat from last week. How she ever thought he’d want someone like her was beyond him.

His entire body froze when he heard Alya’s voice and he swallowed thickly.

“What do you mean you didn’t leave out a candle?!”

The exclamation was enough to get the attention of the entire class and Marinette blushed crimson for it.

“I had a long, hard talk with Chat about it last night, Alya. If I told him yes, everyone here would learn who he was. That’s just asking for his identity to be handed to Hawk Moth on a silver platter! I can’t put him in danger, not like that. Besides, I—” Marinette began, her voice trailing as her eyes cut over to where Adrien and Nino were sitting.

“You told him no?” Adrien whispered. 

“I was flattered, I really was, but like he said, there’s always been someone else. In good conscience, I don’t think I could have only given him part of my heart,” Marinette said. She was playing it up pretty damn good, just in the way they discussed last night. “Not when you’ve held onto it for so long, Adrien.”

The silence that fell over the classroom was still enough that a pin drop would have sounded like an explosion. The blush that rose to his face wasn’t fake, though he couldn’t deny how precious Marinette looked. It was reminiscent of last night, the nervous smile she gave him while holding the candle in her hands. 

The corner of his mouth twitched and he rose to his feet, leaning forward on his desk. This was the only time he could get away with it, and Adrien saw a brief flash of ire flash in her eyes. His eyebrows bounced in challenge as he took on his signature Chat grin. “So, I guess that means if you’re not up for dating a superhero, that you’re game for dating a supermodel then?” 

This Monday was anything but normal, Adrien surmised as Marinette groaned at the pun, but still hauled him forward by his collar. She loved and accepted him for everything he was and wasn’t. He loved and accepted her for the same. They were two halves of the same whole, bound by the threads of Fate.

He smiled against her lips, bracing himself with one hand against her shoulder while the class exploded around them. Cheers, catcalls, cries of dismay fell on his deaf ears as he immersed himself in the love he felt for her.

To Adrien, this Monday and every day that would follow, were nothing short of _miraculous_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On this final note, I just want to thank all of you for reading this and for all your support. Whether is was kudos, a bookmark, or comments that you left, I appreciate everything all of you have done. While I did all the writing, it wouldn't have gotten anywhere without all of you. So thank you, all of you, so much! 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖


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